


Spirits Bound

by PsychicBeagle



Series: Unraveling Threads [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angry Goats, Fluff and Angst, Internal Conflict, Rated for Said Conflict and Minor Potty Mouths, Regret, Time Junk, Whimsical Gentleman, external conflict
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-05-25 23:44:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 102,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6214912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychicBeagle/pseuds/PsychicBeagle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dust settles. Two warriors down, one opponent missing, and a mysteriously familiar mask. Is it possible to stop someone to whom time means nothing, and who is this odd man calling himself a friend?</p>
<p>Sequel to The Broken Clock. Might want to read that one first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

That slow, methodical beep was engrained in the back of my head now. I wasn’t anywhere near the room anymore, sitting in Papyrus and Sans’s living room, but I had been in that hospital enough for the memory to remain.

 

Two weeks. It had already been two weeks since the Battle of New Home. Since Chara found someway to get its claws on Frisk’s body and wreak havoc. Two long, arduous weeks, and neither Frisk or Sans had waken up. We were certain they would eventually. The monitors we had hooked up to them just showed a severe deficiency in DT and magic, respectively. They would wake up as soon as their bodies stabilized those levels.

 

I looked up, hoping to not lock eyes with any of the room’s occupants. On my left, Asgore and Undyne were taking up the rest of the couch’s space. To my right, Papyrus had settled down next to Mettaton, just coming down from checking on Sans. They tried making small talk, but it didn’t work too well. Everyone here knew it was only a matter of time before the person right across from me worked up the energy to start asking questions.

 

There was Toriel, and she, well, she had seen better days. There were deep bags under her eyes, giving away her recent lack of sleep, and her fur was somewhat crooked, I guess. Not outright messy, but you could still feel there was something wrong. It was fortunate for her that the teachers didn’t mind filling in for her principal duties while she was on leave. Eventually, she was able to look me in the eye and ask what had been on everyone’s mind for a while.

 

“So, Alphys, you know something about all of this, correct?” Her voice was off, too. She was lacking that motherly tone she usually took with those who were close, instead using an exhausted pitch that held no patience for arguments. Even if I couldn’t blame her, that voice still sent shivers down my spine.

 

It was well known that I had been hiding in the lab for most of this time, using the excuse that I was running numbers on the residual magics floating around the Underground. And that is part of what I was doing, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I was dodging something. I usually just slipped by to keep an eye on Frisk’s condition while Toriel was sleeping, which mostly consisted of a few short hours in the middle of the night, and Undyne was usually right there with me. The only reason I was here now was because she promised to support me during the confrontation. All I could do at this point was accept my fate.

 

“Where should I start? There’s, uh, more than a few things you all don’t know.” Asgore had already set Greater and Lesser Dog at the door, just incase someone wanted to snoop on us. I didn't have to worry about accidentally spreading the secret to anyone who didn’t need to know.

 

“We should begin with… with Chara, if you don’t mind.”

 

“You see, that’s what I mean. Just getting to them will take us through most of a can of worms.” When I didn’t hear any changes to the request, I took it as a sign to go on. “How much are you all aware of Determination?” Undyne was the first up to bat.

 

“It’s the stuff in a human that lets their Souls last more than a few seconds after they kick the bucket, and what made the Amalgamates. Not to mention what lets the punk do all their magic.”

 

“Yes, now what else?”

 

“There’s more?” I removed my glasses, wiping them off with the bottom flap of my coat.

 

“When it was discovered during the Determination Experiments, I described it as the ability to keep going, to change fate. Most only focused on the first statement, completely ignoring the second. Under the pressure of enough DT, the path time was meant to follow can be distorted, if not outright broken. Those who wield it can change events, seemingly at a whim.”

 

“THIS ALL SOUNDS… VERY CONFUSING.” Yeah, it would be. Good thing Papyrus gave me an idea.

 

“Okay, here, I want you all to watch this.” I uncovered my watch, going to the classified videos folder. It was, of course, password protected.

 

UNDYNE ROCKS…

 

She blushed a little at the complement. I really had to make these things less obvious.

 

“This footage was taken directly from Frisk’s mind when we were running our more recent Determination Experiments. You should be familiar with it, Pap.”

 

_The surroundings were a blinding white, snow taking up the majority of the_ _picture. A small square had been cleared, where Frisk was standing with a word search._ _Papyrus and Sans were only a few feet away._

 

_“HUMAN! YOU CAN HELP US SETTLE THIS. WHICH IS HARDER?”_

 

_“Junior Jumble.”_

 

Papyrus picked it up in an instant.

 

“WAIT, THAT IS NOT HOW IT WENT!” All eyes were on him, waiting for an explanation. “I HAD GIVEN SANS THE TASK OF SETTING UP A PUZZLE FOR FRISK. HE, OF COURSE, JUST SET THAT LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER ON THE GROUND. MEDIUM LENGTH STORY SHORT, WE ENDED UP ARGUING OVER WHICH WAS HARDER, JUNIOR JUMBLE OR CROSSWORDS. THEY WERE A THIRD PARTY, SO I ASKED THEM TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE. TO MY SURPRISE, THEY ACTUALLY PICKED CROSSWORDS!”

 

“Yes, that is how it went, in _this_ timeline. In that timeline, they chose Junior Jumble.” I ignored the silence as it set in, going through the folder for another example. “Okay, Mettaton, remember the fake bomb stunt we pulled?”

 

_A bomb painted like a basketball rolled across the dry, red soil of Hotland, Frisk in_ _hot pursuit. The ticking of a clock grew louder and louder as the scene went on. Just as_ _they were about to reach the last explosive, the alarm blared, signaling Mettaton to_ _announce his intentions to ‘detonate’ the big bomb in the back._

 

“But, they diffused them all, with well over a minute to spare.” He was speaking at a whisper, still trying to figure out what was going on. Papyrus beat him to it.

 

“SO, FRISK IS A TIME LORD!? NEATO! DO YOU THINK THEY COULD TAKE ME BACK TO A MONTH AGO, WHEN I LEFT THE OVEN ON FOR A WHOLE DAY? THOSE CHARRED FLOOR TILES TOOK AGES TO REPLACE!”

 

“Sorry, but it doesn’t quite work like that.” It took the others about half of a second to realize that I hadn’t denied his claim. Toriel took the news rather quietly. And Undyne…

 

“That. Is. Wicked.” Yeah, that was what I expected. Asgore chipped in shortly after.

 

“The way you worded it makes it sounds as though you know how it works. Would you kindly let us in?” I nodded, holding up a hand with two claws up.

 

“It consists of two specific abilities, Save and Reset. You can think of Save as a sort of temporal bookmark. It lets them temporarily pinpoint a place in space and time that they can go back to should the need arise. With it in place, death is a nonissue so long as there isn’t anyone else around with the same access to space-time.”

 

“Death?” Toriel sounded even more distant than before, and it scared me. “That is an awful specific thing to mention.” And now she was onto me, staring me directly in the eye. I instinctually tried to avoid it with a long sip of coffee, though I should have known it would only draw more attention. “How… how many times?”

 

“W-what do you mean?” Playing stupid really wasn’t effective.

 

“You know as well as I that all of us but you have fought them, for a variety of reasons. I need to know, how many times have we ‘won?’” The room grew tense, to the point that even a prod in the wrong spot could set off the dynamite. I would have been quaking in my skin if Undyne hadn’t scoot a little closer to me, offering her moral support. It only somewhat worked, a glance showing that she didn’t like the implications any more than anyone else. I sighed, closing my eyes.

 

“I lost count after the first forty recordings. I just couldn’t stomach watching them after that.” The drawstring snapped, letting everyone’s hearts drop at once. “If you need to know the specifics, you’ll have to ask Sans. He has all of Frisk’s confessions on record under the heaviest cyphers he knows. Good luck getting him to talk, though, he’s sworn to an even tighter code of silence than me.”

 

“that really doesn’t count for much at the moment. you already spilled the beans, so what’s the point of pretending they aren’t all over the floor?” That cool, collected voice was one we were all sorely missing, jumping from our seats to find its source. Leaning over the upper level handrails, looking down at us with a tired smile, was Sans.

 

“BROTHER!” Papyrus used his vastly superior speed to his advantage, reaching him before we could blink. “YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WORRIED I’VE BEEN! DON’T GO DOING THAT AGAIN, YOU HEAR?! YOUR EIGHT TO TEN HOUR NAPS ARE BAD ENOUGH ALREADY!”

 

“hey, i was just tired.” That glimmer in his eye was an obvious sign. “dead tired.”

 

“THAT WAS NOT FUNNY FOR SO MANY REASONS!” Didn’t stop him from laughing a little in relief, though. It was proof that Sans would be fine. I made a little more room for him on the couch, letting him take a seat in the midst of the conversation.

 

“Are you feeling alright, Sans? Comas aren’t exactly known for positive health effects.”

 

“m’ fine, gore, just gotta wipe the sleep from my sockets.” There was quite a bit of it sitting there. It was beyond me how a skeleton could have bags under his eyes, but I stopped questioning their biology a long time ago.

 

“So, how much did you hear?”

 

“been eavesdropping since you played that last clip. don’t think i could’ve explained things any better.” While it was clear Toriel was happy to see him up and about again, there were still questions to be answered.

 

“Then I suppose you already know what I’ve asked.” His expression (somehow) drooped even more, but he still tried to keep up his smile. From his pocket, he produced a simple lunchbox, its color shifting from silver to pitch black as lights ran across its surface. He popped it open, snatching a little, black, leather bound journal from within before slamming it shut. I knew from experience that he kept things in there that shouldn’t be seen just yet. He opened directly to the appropriate page, as though he had memorized its contents.

 

“tori, one.” I could see the regret slithering down her back as what he said sank in. “papyrus, zero. undyne, thirteen. alphys, zero. mettaton, including traps gone out of control, twenty-seven. excluding, ten. sans, zero. asgore, sixty.” He let his wrist drop, book dangling weakly in his grasp. “those are the sum totals of deaths caused by those present in this timeline in order of possibly violent encounters. i’ve tallied and double checked these numbers from every chat the kid’s had with me about the topic.”

 

He let the information stew for a while. It was no surprise that most of us had a chance of killing Frisk back Underground, of messing things up on the road here, but it looked like they had all let those possibilities lay buried in the past. I was the same way, too, until they let me in on the secret.

 

“this time junk’s a big old pain in the tush, isn’t it?” The lights in his eyes had dimmed, letting the waves of memories long passed roll over him. “trust me, it gets worse.”

 

“Does… Does it have something to do with this Reset Doctor Alphys told us of?” I nodded, and was about to force myself to explain, but Sans stopped me with a wave of the hand.

 

“if we’re going with Saves being a bookmark, then you can call Resets yanking it out and forcibly forgetting what page you were on. the kid picked up their little trick in the deepest part of the ruins. you can call that the start of the book.” He put his journal closed, face up, on the coffee table.

 

“this is where things get tricky. you know how if you come back to a book after a long time and reread it, you’ll still know big points about it? well, that’s where the analogy falls apart. if the kid Resets, everything gets wiped. they won’t know us, and, for the most part, we won’t know them. the only way those memories are coming back is if you get lucky with a vision.” Toriel’s eyes shot open, remembering something.

 

“What do you mean visions?”

 

“they’re probably exactly what you’re thinking. you ever had a bad dream, one that you think might have been real, but was just so ridiculous that you just let it fade away in the back of your head until the next one?”

 

“WELL, YES, YOU KNOW I HAVE. YOU’RE THE ONE WHO HELPS ME SHAKE THEM OFF WHENEVER THEY HAPPEN!” There was some general muttering around the circle, all to the same conclusion. “IN MOST OF THEM, I SEE FRISK, OR SOMEONE VERY MUCH LIKE FRISK, WALKING TOWARDS ME AS I SPEAK. IT USUALLY ENDS… RATHER POORLY FOR ME. I’VE JUST ASSUMED THEY WERE SOME MAD FANTASY I HAD ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF MY SPEECHES WEREN’T PERFECT. THERE’S NO WAY THOSE DREAMS COULD BE…”

 

His assumptions were ended as Sans pulled a red scarf from his box. He struggled to keep his eyes from latching to the flakes of dust staining the fabric.

 

“and this is why you never trust that possession-happy brat.” He spat the words out, like they were burning his throat to keep inside any longer. “i’ve wanted to tell you this for a real long time, toriel. you, too, asgore. but the kid wanted me to shut up about it. well the cat’s out of the bag and i’m in no mood to pet sit. that first human of yours, chara…” He let his gaze shift back to center stage, where we all saw that his eyes had gone pitch black.

 

“IS NOTHING BUT A DIRTY MURDERER.”

 

“That’s enough!” Toriel had sprung from her seat, Hell’s anarchy burning in her stare. “We know exactly how horrible they were, and we don’t need you reminding us of that! Of almost killing Asgore, or of taking hold of Frisk that day.”

 

“you think that’s all they did?” The cold edge in his words syphoned the last of the fire from her veins. “don’t you think it’s real convenient that asriel knew how to take their Soul when they died, giving them access to a body with the combined power of a human and a monster Soul? or how about asriel supposedly almost going on a blood rage despite not having a violent bone in his body? and how do you suppose they knew how to take control of frisk so easily? face it, what you thought you knew is only the tip of the iceberg.” It looked like all those coincidences were too much to deny when lumped together. Toriel had gone pale, the truth finally taking hold.

 

“Sans, I…”

 

“heh heh…” He buried his face in his hands, hiding the rest of his head with his hood. “every time that thing got its hands on frisk, right there in the ruins, it always spelled out ‘hell’ for us in bright, shiny letters. time and time again, they’d come through with a knife. time and time again, i’d turn around to find mY BROTHER DEAD. then undyne. then mettaton, and everyone between, till it was just me in the middle of the judgment hall.”

 

“i remember it all, but i don’t want to. this power…” His eye lit up, as though pointing out what exactly he meant. “this Determination. it’s what helped me hold on so long, which i’m thankful for, but it makes just how hopeless it all was too clear. it’s a blessing, AND A CURSE.” It’s like he wasn’t even in control of his mouth anymore. Like someone had opened a freshly shaken soda can before letting it foam all over the carpet. Papyrus had him locked in a sibling hug, trying to calm his frayed nerves.

 

“You have Determination?” Asgore was never the hasty sort, but I can see why he’d want to cut straight to the point this time. “How is that?” Sans shook his head a little, wrangling in the scraps of self control he let go of with his outburst.

 

“c’mon, i’ll show ya.”

 

-

 

On the way to my lab, I told them more. About the original Determination Experiments, headed by Gaster. I told them everything about him up until the initial trial, where I said the reason no one seemed to recall him was hidden. Alphys trailed along right behind me, clearing things up if they were a little fuzzy on my side. At first, I was afraid my memory was finally starting to fizz, but then I realized it was just that I had been out cold for two weeks. Not exactly good mind training.

 

When we got to the wall behind our shed, everyone was glancing around as though they were missing something. Most of them couldn’t see the door thanks to my little space shifting trick. The illusion vanished as soon as I grabbed the doorknob, making it seem to them as though a door had popped out of nowhere.

 

They were even more confused when I pulled it open to a deep, dark stairwell. I hurried on down the familiar steps, hearing them all follow me a second later. By the time we got to the bottom, I’m sure they were all curious as to how I had hidden such a long corridor in plain sight. That would be for later. For now, though, I directed their attention to the main attraction.

 

“and this thing here is what all that work led to. the DT Enabler.” It was a strange device, no doubt. The bulk of it was one pillar of time-proof metal. Gears on its surface were woven into a mad quilt, silent due to the lack of power running through it. At its base, a little podium rose up with a simple glass orb stationed on top.

 

“when we booted this thing up, gassy was just so excited. that gleam in his eyes is something i’ll never forget. He thought he’d finally get to use magic, like us, and actually feel like he belonged among us. too bad it took twenty more years and frisk stumbling on it to actually get it to work right.” I set my hands over the orb, just like he had so long ago.

 

“it started up, things were fine. then he started overloading on the junk, and everything went haywire. i tried pulling him off, but just ended up flat on my back, with a surge of DT in my system and the durability of a wet tissue. i got lucky, ‘cause all gaster got was a one way ticket to being erased from our timeline. thank goodness the lab had time-proof metal walls, otherwise alph and i’d be just as clueless as the rest of you, if not worse” A hand fell on my shoulder, its red glove giving away the owner.

 

“SANS, I HAD NO IDEA…” Oh no, don’t go getting all guilty on me.

 

“not your fault, pap. not anyone’s, really. just some scientist sticking their noses where they didn’t belong, that’s all” Not like that would dissuade him, anyway. His hand clenched around my shoulder. A meep of surprise told me he had the same grip on Alph.

 

“NOW THAT I AM IN THE KNOW, I SWEAR TO NEVER LET MY SIBLINGS DOWN AGAIN! I DON’T PLAN ON LEAVING YOU ALONE LIKE THAT A SECOND TIME, NEITHER OF YOU. AND THAT’S A PROMISE! NYEH HEH HEH!” The meep turned to a hiccup, which led smoothly into a sibling hug. I gave into his happy mood, glad that the three of us were all on the same ground again.

 

Gore and Tori, though, had seen better days. They had both plopped on my couch, staring at the ground. Finding out the kid you used to raise pretty much killed the other kid you used to raise before going on to kill you in another timeline couldn’t have been easy. When the hug ended, I walked that way, past Mettaton who was still standing in the doorway, and stopped at the opposite side of the break lounge.

 

“i know this is a lot to swallow, but i’m here if you need me. trust me when I say i’ve got as much investment in keeping frisk safe as you. not letting history repeat itself around here on my watch.” They sluggishly managed to look at me, a small smile on each of their mugs.

 

“Thank you, Sans, for letting us know just how much we have been mistaken about. We will need a little time to digest it all, though, so please be patient with me if I get so… snappy again. Okay?” I nodded, understanding where she was coming from.

 

“it’s a promise.”


	2. The Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A broken slate of white. A relic of an age long passed. An age that never technically happened. What happens when it starts to rewrite itself back into the script?

I was running as quickly as I could to the hospital. We had received a call saying that Frisk had woken up, but was behaving rather oddly. The people of New Haven knew my child well enough to accurately spot such differences. As much as I trusted our neighboring town, I would have much preferred keeping them at home, but we lacked the necessary equipment to aid a comatose human. Monsters in such a state, assuming it was recoverable, rarely needed any treatment beyond an occasional magic infusion.

 

Behind me, I heard Asgore doing his best to keep pace. Even if he was infuriatingly oblivious and short sighted at times, I couldn’t deny his good intentions. Shortly behind him were the others. Mettaton was giving Alphys and Undyne a hand with his (apparently imported) vehicle. I had to say, the red exterior complimented him rather well.

 

Asgore and I would have taken the offer as well, but he was a touch too large for it to carry effectively and I was too anxious to see Frisk was alright to slow down and get in now. And yes, I see the hypocrisy of calling Asgore short sighted after such a display, but I had the excuse of a lack of proper rest clouding my judgment.

 

The only two missing were Sans and Papyrus. They had opted to get to New Haven on their own. While I had at first thought Papyrus would take them both in his own car, he had surprised me by bolting down the path on foot instead. I had almost forgotten that skeleton’s blinding speed, even though I had gotten a taste of it after chasing him all the way to the surface only two weeks prior.

 

Sans, of course, had slowly buzzed off in the other direction on his motorized scooter, stating that he had a shortcut. While many would say I should have asked him for traveling aid, it was not an oversight on my part. In his freshly revived state, I had doubts of how moving more than just himself via teleportation would affect his health. I trusted him to keep his eye sockets on Frisk in the mean time, as I knew full well that he would be the first of us all to arrive.

 

The town came into sight soon enough, followed shortly by the hospital. Actually, calling it that would be a little inaccurate. The building was more of a clinic, its small size and wooden walls significantly under the threshold of being a full hospital. It worked well enough for the community, though, and served finely as Frisk’s temporary residence while recovering.

 

Brutus was standing, arms crossed, at the door, acting out his role as a bodyguard to the letter. This task was supported by the boy’s massive size. Despite being around the same age as my child, he was the same height as Undyne. As some humans said, he had won the genetic lottery in that regard. His body temperature had an equally impressive stature, able to resist the below freezing blast of Winter in little more than his jeans and leather jacket. His forcibly hardened eyes returned to a kinder disposition upon seeing us approaching.

 

“Morning, Miss Toriel. Toriel and friends here for Frisk, yes?” I stopped for a minute to regain my composure, knowing that my child wouldn’t want to see me exhausted.

 

“Of course. I imagine we aren’t the first ones to arrive?”

 

“Papyrus got here ten minutes ago, and Brutus not sure, but Brutus thinks Brutus heard Sans in there when letting Papyrus in.” He fiddled with the door knob, making sure its inner workings hadn’t frozen stuck on him. He pulled it open for me, stepping back to give Asgore and I room to enter.

 

I bowed slightly as we passed. Those old royal manners never quite leave after learning them. I heard Asgore trying to compress himself in order to fit in the relatively small doorway, but I was too preoccupied to pay him mind at the moment. I waved a greeting at the receptionist as she wrote my name in the admission booklet, as she had for every visit.

 

“Morning, Toriel. Our little soldier boy doing his job?”

 

“Oh yes, as always. He has been a steadfast friend since day one.”

 

“Well, don’t let me hold you up any longer. I’m sure Frisk’ll be happy to see you.”

 

“Thank you, Lily. You should keep that book close at hand. I’m sure the others won’t be too long.” I made my way down the halls, their contents almost completely memorized. Small table with potted plants by the first room. A painting of a vast field of flowers between the first and second. A Delta Rune, the official seal of our ‘government,’ on the third door. I heard a calm conversation within, occasionally broken up by the much louder voice of Papyrus.

 

The door opened to the sight of Sans, his chair aimed to look directly at the bed. Papyrus was standing beside him, waving at me as soon as he noticed my presence. I heard a quiet voice, too quiet to make out what was being said, or even its tone.

 

“yeah, it’s tori. you’ve been wanting to see her, right?” I took it as a sign that my child had missed me and accepted the perceived invitation, moving as quickly as I could while retaining a collected demeanor.

 

“Frisk, are you feeling alri…?” My greeting was ended when I finally saw them. As I had expected, their face was obscured by the mask. That heirloom of the erased scientist had been firmly locked in place ever since the Battle of New Home, its eye holes curved in opposite directions and mouth turned in the smallest of smiles being the only portals through which one could see Frisk’s face.

 

Those gaps were no longer windows, each obscured by a thick, unending fog of black. In its eyes were a pair of lights, similar to those of Sans. As they turned and looked at me, an odd feeling overtook my Soul. It was as though I was being examined, every aspect of my being, from posture to the creases under my eyes, getting laid bare under their gaze.

 

“Ah, Toriel, it has been a long time indeed.” Now that I could clearly hear them, I was certain that it wasn’t Frisk. This one’s voice was far deeper, and held a calm respect for those it addressed. It offset the inherent creepy aura the mask gave off. I had a decent idea of who it was.

 

“I take it you are Gaster?” His eyes dimmed for a moment, but their shine returned before most would notice.

 

“Of course, you wouldn’t remember me. Never you mind this old man’s forgetfulness. It is a pleasure to meet you. Er, meet you again? I am uncertain of the proper phrasing.” He stroked his chin as he thought it over. “Oh well, I suppose it does not matter.” He held out a hand, looking to make a proper first impression. Even if he was a odd one, I could not fault his manners. I took the offered greeting and returned the handshake.

 

“It is nice to meet the one apparently responsible for so many of our vital technologies. My sincerest apologies for not recalling you.” He waved off my concern with a small, warm chuckle.

 

“Please, it is not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it would be me. You’ve enough stress as of late as is.” I imagine that was his way of consoling me without pointing out my disheveled appearance. That tiredness started to show a bit more as I heard others join us in the room. Gaster seemed delighted at the company, introducing himself to Undyne, Asgore, and Mettaton before directing his attention on Alphys.

 

“Ah, little Alph, it has been far too long.” He opened his arms wide, welcoming a reunion hug.

 

“Um, I’m not sure if Frisk would be okay with it…”

 

“It is fine. I already asked ahead of time, to which they said they wouldn’t want to get in the way.”

 

“yeah, pap and i already got a hug. not real fair if you don’t get one.” Her only argument thoroughly disproven, Alphys couldn’t help but give in. It was a heartwarming display, but only made me yearn for my own reunion more. As they pulled apart, a flash of memory sparked in his eyes, looking back at Undyne.

 

“Oh yes, you are Alphy’s girlfriend, correct?” Her right eyebrow rose in questioning.

 

“Yeah, why?”

 

“Now let’s see, where did I put that notecard?” He started rummaging through his pockets, soon revealing a small square of thick paper. “Here we are! Now then, random ranting, take good care of her. More chatter, you hurt her, I hurt you. Old person nagging, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. I believe that covers all my bases.”

 

“Gaster!” Alphys was glowing bright red, glancing nervously between the two. Undyne’s eye locked firmly on his.

 

“You’d pick a fight with the Captain of the Royal Guard?” Most would have been intimidated by her crossed arms tensing, showing off years of built up muscle. Gaster, though, simply found it amusing.

 

“Well, it is my job as a guardian to look out for her, is it not?” Undyne’s façade fell, her, as she put it, wicked grin stretching from ear fin to ear fin.

 

“Alright, guy, you’re fine by me!” All tension bled out of the room as she laughed, Alphys letting out a breath she had been holding. My anxious stare and shifting from foot to foot soon drew Gaster’s attention.

 

“You seem troubled by something. Whatever is the issue?” With all eyes on me, I sighed.

 

“Well, I do not want to be the one to end your family bonding time, but I would like to see my own child. Please, may I speak with Frisk?” His pupils grew darker once more, but this time they stayed that way. He was muttering to himself, trying to find the right words.

 

“I am afraid… that is not possible at this time.” I nearly snapped, all kindness draining from my features. Asgore flinched away, recognizing my ‘mother bear’ mode from a mile away.

 

“Care to repeat that.” It came out less like a question and more like a flat statement. Annoyance twitched all of my muscles as Gaster cleared his throat.

 

“You see, though this body is physically recovered enough to function, Frisk, spiritually, is still very fragile. It would be unwise to put them back in control while they are piecing themselves back together. I’ve simply taken the wheel, so to speak, so they can keep an eye on everything vicariously through me. My humblest apologies, your Majesty.” He bowed deeply to me, showing that he did not intend to offend. I let my rigid shell fall, body mimicking the state of my worn Soul.

 

“Very well, Professor. I trust your judgment.” I felt a tiny hand raise my head enough to look him in the eye.

 

“Please know that I wouldn’t do this were it unnecessary. Believe you me, I know how you must feel. Even I am uncertain what I would do should someone come between me and my own wards.” He looked fondly over them, Papyrus welling up a little. “I promise to let you know as soon as they have recovered.” He looked off to one side, staring into space as though someone else was speaking to him. “Ah, and it seems they’ve a message for you.” My ears perked as he slowly told me, doing his best to make his voice sound like Frisk’s. It was actually fairly accurate.

 

“Hi, Mom. I’m sorry, for everything, but I’ll be alright soon. I promise. Try not to worry so much, alright?” I waited a moment, and when no more came, I knew those really were Frisk’s words. They weren’t the type to say more than needed to be said.

 

Two weeks of pent up frustration and worries finally fell from my shoulders, letting me rest with a clear mind. I felt the fur of my cheeks become matted with tears. The kindly voices of my friends all rose around me, and I knew then that things might be alright. For a time, at least.

 

-

 

I kept myself hidden just behind the corner of an older house. It was completely empty, so my chances of getting caught were much smaller. Not that I cared at the moment, eyeing the entrance to the town clinic warily. Any moment, I knew they would come out. I knew they were coming, and I would have sooner been thrown to Hell than let those monster freaks take us over.

 

I was there when they revealed themselves, you know. I would have been more than happy to round up the guys and open fire on them, and I was about to do just that, but then all the kids naively started playing with the tall skeleton and things fell apart. I was forced to just stand by, eyeing all of those things as thoughts of what they would do to us ran through my head. And I’ll never forget the feeling of that kid they had with them, or whatever it was, staring me in the eye.

 

I took a quick gulp of my coffee, taking just a second more to wipe the last few drops from my mustache. I didn’t need the caffeine staining my newly grown, black facial hair. I caught a glimpse of my horribly thin arm, flinching at the side effect of my paranoia. Eating wasn’t a high priority these days, taking a back seat to finding weak spots in their defenses. It would all be worth it when I made sure us humans stayed on top around here.

 

My focus was back on the door by the time it opened again. The big kid standing guard backed up, making way for the freak show. The big sheep, the fish, that lizard and her pet robot, then the little sheep and skeleton. Between the last two, I found my target, the kid. That wolf in sheep’s clothing thought it was real clever, using its cheep little happy face to seduce my neighbors. Well, that wouldn’t work tonight, and not just because it was wearing a mask.

 

I pulled out my secret weapon, a foot and a half long knife with a sturdy, black hilt. It was a special order, made for hacking up anything that needed it in the kitchen. Now, though, it would work fine as an assassination tool. They’d never expect me to pop out of some alley on their path, planting it deep in their ‘ambassador’s’ heartless chest.

 

I just wish I had expected that kick to the groin. I stumbled to the ground, dropping the knife as I tried to get feeling back in the lower half of my body. I looked up to something that scared me out of my skin. It looked like a kid, but their body glowed a horrible red. Just looking in those little specks it had for eyes stole my breath. It seemed like it didn’t know whether it should be angry or delighted. It settled for the former, reaching for my misplaced weapon. It looked me in the eye as the sharp tip came down, puncturing a lung.

 

“You little idiot! You could’ve messed up the whole game!” I tried to scream, but it was able to get a second shot in somewhere further up my breathing tubes, the only sound I could make a gurgling hiss. Over and over again, it ripped open holes in my body. The ground under me felt wet, probably all the blood I was losing.

 

“I guess I should thank you, though. This knife is exactly what I needed. This is gonna be so much fun!” One more plunge, and the world started going dark. “See ya, you dirty kill stealer.” The last thing I saw was that thing waltzing away, whistling some little tune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *walking along, humming Megalovania* Hey, there you are! Yo, Chekhov, I found your revolver! Yeah, doesn't look like anyone fired it. No, I don't know why it's covered in ketchup.


	3. The Enigmatic Gaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man that time has lost sight of. When the spotlight returns to him, what will they make of him?

The path through town was even more lovely than I had thought. Viewing it from an unknowable distance away through a floating screen simply didn’t do this place justice. Monsters had always had that sort of touch to their constructs, putting a spark of themselves into every nail they set. For example, I was able to ascertain which house belonged to whom with only the emotional aura it gave off.

 

The school building, though, was a true marvel. All of the community had come together to create it, and the effort showed. A quick glance over its brickwork, its great marble pillars, even the panes of glass revealed the spectrum of hearts behind the physical matter. I could spend years observing what these people had created, even after spending countless centuries doing just that. I would have been on that line of study at that very moment had I not been on Frisk’s schedule above my own.

 

As soon as I entered the facility, a wave of warm thoughts rushed over me. Not just from the inherent vibes of the school, but from all of the joyous gazes from those inside. I recalled being told that our current arrangement had been described to the students in as great of detail as they could without becoming confusing, but they were overwhelmingly positive to my presence anyway.

 

_‘You truly have a wonderful group of friends, Frisk.’_ Off to my right, I saw them hovering right alongside me. Well, not in the physical sense, though that would have been a sight to behold. No, their DT projection was a more energy based state, not to mention only visible to those currently linked to their own body. Still, it didn’t diminish that fluttering happiness I felt flooding outwards from their Soul.

 

_‘Look out behind you!’_ I turned just in time to catch that armless friend of theirs. What was their name again? Lenny? Legless? Wait, that last one wouldn’t make sense, unless he was named with the ironic idea of calling an elephant Tiny in mind. _‘Lansot.’_

 

Ah, that sounded far better than my suggestions. Thank goodness my host was understanding of this scattered thought process of mine. I dusted the young lad off, making certain they were steady on their feet before letting go.

 

“How nice it is to meet you, Lansot! Do tell, how are you this fine day?” I was expecting a bit of confusion at the sound of my comparatively deep, overly refined voice. Or, you know, a bit of awkwardness due to speaking to a friend who isn’t truly that exact friend, but has their appearance. What I got instead was…

 

“I’m doing alright, yo! You’re Gaster, right?” Hmm, this one was rather flexible, in more ways than just his ability to take a fall.

 

“That would be me, yes. Oh, where are my manners? Skipping the formal introduction simply won’t do.” I held out a hand, my most basic way of meeting such a fine fellow. “I am W.D. Gaster, man of knowledge.” It was only then that I realized the oddity in offering a handshake to a being without hands. Before I could retract my perceived fault, though, the offer was taken by his usefully prehensile tail. Magical evolution was such a strange and efficient thing.

 

“Name’s Lansot, but I guess you already knew me, heh. Don’t think I’ve met anyone so prim and proper before.” That phrasing brought out the thinker in me.

 

“That term, proper, has never quite struck me right.”

 

“How come?” It was always good to see an inquisitive youth.

 

“Well, the base most use of the word is to define something as the way it should be. To define my behavior as such labels it as the only correct way of acting, which is not the case.” Understanding came to his features, a fulfilling sight for one such as me.

 

“Guess we should call it something else then. Any ideas?”

 

“Why not call fancy?” That was an elegantly efficient solution. I turned, finding it was Brutus who made the suggestion. Perhaps he could teach Frisk a thing or two about stealth in the near future.

 

“I quite like that idea. So many among us would overthink things, completely ignoring the simple answer. Oh, but I digress. How do you do, friend?” He may have been a bit cautious of the odd personality taking control of Frisk at first, with good reason, mind. The last invader wasn’t so trustworthy. A short chat, though, was enough to win him over. Me not stabbing anything in a twenty-four hour period put me leagues beyond the aforementioned Chara.

 

I would have loved to carry our conversation on further, a commodity sorely lacking in my corner of the dark infinite, but the bell chose that moment to ring. I suppose it would have to wait until after class.

 

-

 

This was a rather well kept chamber. It was clear to me that Undyne took her training seriously, making sure her personal gymnasium was of the highest possible tier. She even had Alphys involved in its construction, implementing a virtual-to-reality illusion system. I don’t think I could have done a better job myself.

 

“Alright, punk, you ready?” It was odd how she could make a term intended to insult its recipient into an affectionate nickname. This would need a bit more study on my part down the line, when I wasn’t on school supported combat practice time. I did a quick flourish with the provided wooden pole, gripping it at the base like a very dull sword.

 

“En garde!” She came running at me, each step reverberating off the metallic floor. Alphys was working on a project at the moment, meaning we would have to make do with the basic form of the chamber.

 

Her first strike was a sweep coming in from the right. I rose the staff, our makeshift weaponry clacking together. One swift upward movement was all she needed to break free of my defense, turning for another shot.

 

I had to marvel at Frisk’s strength. For someone so young, they somehow had the physical ability of the greatest monsters, if not more. Their arms held all the force of a raging Boss, their legs the swiftness of the wind. So long as they kept their mind on it, they could weave through even the most dense string of attacks. It was a shame I couldn’t do the same.

 

Undyne lived up to her title flawlessly, landing shot after shot as I struggled to keep up. My only saving grace was the overall durability of this body and the fact that neither of us were using genuine spears. It wasn’t long until I felt the bruises starting to form, at which point she was kind enough to give me a breather. Frisk was at my side as quickly as they could manage, worry radiating from their Soul.

 

_‘Are you okay?’_

 

_‘Oh, no need to fret. She was actually going easy on me, if you can believe it. A_ _few portions of monster food and I will be right as rain.’_

 

“Come on, Gaster! You can do better than that!” Undyne was upon me, though this time in a less violent sense. She forced a cinnamon bunny into my hands before continuing her rant. “The kid can keep this routine up for hours! If you’re in their body, how come you can’t?”

 

“I’m afraid, when I had a form of my own, combat was far from my specialty. That, compounded with however long I spent drifting on my own, has left me at a great disadvantage. Besides, their body isn’t quite opening up to me, as it were.” She gave me this funny look. I suppose my phrasing there could have been better, but I doubt it was the only reason.

 

“The heck does that mean?”

 

“It’s hard to explain. One of those things one is more apt to understand through feeling it out than being told.” I took a piece of the bun, sliding it between the mouth gap in my mask. I could feel the magic rushing to my injuries as I spoke. “You see, this body is much more powerful than the norm would suggest, but it also comes with a sort of lock system. All throughout it are bindings of decency, peaceful intent, and necessity to which I do not possess a key, nor the knowledge to circumvent them like Chara before me.”

 

“That doesn’t explain how you kept up back when that freak was here.” The last few crumbs of the snack vanished, and with them went the possibility of bruising.

 

“I have pondered that myself. It seems Chara either forgot or didn’t have a chance to reset the locks. It was only when I lost consciousness that they did so automatically. So, until I figure out how these things work, I will have to make do with magical offensive means should the need arise.” There was something about the gleam in her eyes that I did not like, and her trademark smile wasn’t helping.

 

“Alright then, magic training it is!” Her hands shot out to the sides, each grasping a newly formed spear of energy. Before I could bring out my response, however, the building shook with a powerful boom. “Oh my God, Alphys!”

 

A memory forced its way from the depths of Frisk’s mind, playing out for both of us. I remembered the moment displayed well, the day when some foolish human had attempted to assassinate Frisk and Toriel through the use of basic explosive devices. The idea of it happening again to Alphys made my blood boil. I clenched one hand around Undyne’s wrist, the DT in me already stirring to action.

 

“Hey, let go, I’ve gotta…!” One look at me silenced her efficiently. I was uncertain why, but I don’t think I quite cared. I was too preoccupied with directing the flow of energy within me. It coursed through my body, systematically separating its atoms just enough to allow a state no matter could halt. I spread the effect to Undyne, and in the span of a single second, I had hurled us to Alphys’s experiment chamber. Undyne shook off the daze of teleportation quickly, her own concerns accelerating the process. I knew she would be the right one for my little girl from day one.

 

The room was filled with smoke, from which Alphys emerged, coughing. Undyne and I leaped between her and the cloud, prepared for whomever had instigated this attack.

 

“Okay, who’s there!?”

 

“Come out and accept your fate.”

 

“Guys, it’s okay! Just an experiment gone wrong, that’s all.” My muscles relaxed, a feeling of silliness overtaking the adrenaline in my system as the smoke cleared to reveal a broken machine. It looked like she had repurposed an arcade cabinet, a slab covered in pillows, blankets, and other soft materials jutting out from the front at knee height. A helmet dangled at the ends of wires linking it to the machine, a plate of glass shaped like two downward facing conjoined triangles covering where the wearer’s eyes would be.

 

“Well, I suppose that is egg on our faces. Are you unharmed?” She nodded, allowing me to let go of the breath I had been holding. I found my eyes drawn back to the device, that odd sensation of instincts kicking in putting me into a minor trance.

 

“Ugh, don’t scare us like that, Alph. Let me know next time you start working with something that can explode, okay?”

 

“I didn’t expect it to do that. Though, to be fair, this is something new for me altogether. You see it’s… Uh, Gaster, are you there?” I’m afraid I wasn’t, as far as my thoughts went, anyway. Those familiar numbers started swarming around me as I analyzed the intricate weaving of wires, circuits, and metal plates in front of me.

 

I caught a glimpse of Frisk looking around, somewhere between confused and amazed by the equations they saw. It was interesting that they could see them, as I was certain they were a useful hallucination of some sort on my part. Did such visions naturally effect both members of a relationship such as ours? A question for another time, as I was currently enraptured by Alphys’s project.

 

“I see, a system for inserting one’s consciousness into whatever digital video is active at the time. This is very solid work, though there are a few holes in the design. Here, what if I just…” By the time my voice petered off, I was already neck deep in the internal workings of her machine. _‘These two wires seem to be connected to the wrong_ _places. That would explain why the system overloaded. Switch them around, and that_ _should do it!’_ The gears whirred once more as I finished the final repairs.

 

“Alright, it should work now. Try your program again.” She was already at the main control panel, typing away with absolute certainty that I had done my part. The screen came to life with a flash of colors, settling to reveal one of those Japanese cartoons she enjoyed so much. Oh, neat, this one had magic pirates! And a man using three swords at once! How creative the minds behind these things had to be.

 

“Eee!!!” I missed hearing that squeal of delight in person. Alphys had hooked herself back into the device, a version of herself now on screen, standing at the front of the ship. “It worked it really worked!” It deactivated, letting her slip the helmet off. Her smile glowed like a hundred candles. “Thank you, Gassy! I couldn’t have done it without you.”

 

“Come now, you know you don’t have to thank me. I’m just doing what I love, helping my family and tinkering with new technologies. I must say, you’ve carried the candle I passed along excellently. Bravo, child!” It took a moment for me to realize how demeaning it must have been to be called a child not only as a grown adult, but by someone who appeared to be twelve years old. She didn’t seem to mind, though, rubbing the back of her head in a small blush at the compliment.

 

“Heh, thanks. We’ll have to see if we can work in a few of those jam sessions, for old times’ sake.”

 

“I couldn’t agree more.” The nearby clock started to chime, telling us that eleven o’clock had arrived.

 

“Looks like it’s time to get you back to school. Be back in a bit, Alphy!”

 

“Don’t forget your coats!” And so, she got to work, slowly working her way into the first of fifteen layers.

 

-

 

What a wonderful day! Being alive again, even if it was just in the form of a mask-based possession, was certainly an improvement over wandering the void.

 

“Goodnight, Gaster. Sleep well.”

 

“Goodnight, Toriel.” A bit of whispering entered my ear. “Frisk says so, as well.” That slightly melancholic smile spread across her muzzle.

 

“Goodnight, my child. May your health return soon.” I could see her arms twitch, fighting down the instinct to rustle my hair, or pull me into a hug. If there was one bit I could live without, it was all the confusion over how people should interact with our shared body while addressing Frisk, something I wasn’t so sure of myself.

 

The door closed behind me, giving me the peace and quiet needed to sleep. You forget just how annoying the need to sleep is after a while. Frisk sat on the foot of their bed, rubbing a hand over the smooth material. The tilt of their eyebrows gave away their sadness. I saw them staring at their own Soul, its red, flawless surface bringing them some small comfort.

 

_‘Gaster, when can I have my body back?’_

 

_‘As I said before, just as soon as you get that ridiculous plan of yours out of your_ _head.’_ They flinched away from the harder edge in my thoughts. I didn’t savor having to take such a tone with a dear friend, but it was a necessary evil.

 

_‘But I… I…’_

 

_‘But nothing. I tried for two weeks to convince you otherwise. I pleaded,_ _bargained, reasoned, but you have forced me to take drastic measures. I take care of_ _those close to me, whether they want me to or not. Goodnight, Frisk. Please, rethink_ _your decision.’_ With that, I let myself fall to slumber’s embrace, though not before double checking to ensure the stability of my DT walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Dun, dun, dun!'
> 
> Hey, someone get that organ out of here! Honestly, I think the situation speaks for itself.


	4. Grudge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge, hatred, spite, all are messy business. They may clean after themselves, or they may leave devastation in their wake. Which will you choose?

The air felt kinda heavy for some reason. Didn’t know why, since it was a pretty good day so far. Gassy, Alph, and me just finished off a little jam session. Pretty much, we sit around and spitball ideas for half an hour, then take a whole hour to see how far we can get on the best one. Pap came in, trying his heart out to enjoy himself, but tech was never his strong point.

 

At least he liked helping us test the thing. The on-body clothes washer worked perfectly, but I don’t think it would do as well for anyone who isn’t a skeleton. See, the thing blasted water that was almost boiling hot to get the job done, followed by an even hotter jet of air to dry. Anyone who actually feels temperatures would be… less than happy. Steamed even.

 

Yeah, I said that one when I got the chance. And Pap really didn’t like it. He was boiling in his armor. Okay, I’ll stop now. For, like, five minutes. Maybe.

 

Anyway, we decided to head out to Muffet’s place to celebrate a job well done. I was voting Grillby’s, Alph wanted that Chinese restaurant down the street, and Pap was wanting something Italian (as always), but Gassy told us that Frisk was craving a spider donut and that was that. Hey, who could argue against them like this? A real jerk, that’s who. ‘Sides, that place makes a mean cup of chocolate.

 

She had a pretty nice little bakery set up on the surface. Soft purple walls, fancy padded seats, the works. From what I heard, her and her spider pals all stitched up those chairs by hand. Well, technically leg and spinneret, but you know what I mean. The only bit that stuck out was a sign on the front, which read ‘ARACHNOPHOBES NOT ALLOWED’ in bright yellow and red. Probably a good call, all things considered.

 

Gassy got himself a spider donut and some hot chocolate. The rest of us went with a regular donut.

 

“oh, and a cup of chocolate. cold, if you don’t mind.”

 

“Of course, Dearie. I’ll be right back.” She was still eyeing me curiously. Most monsters were. No one saw me going berserk in the cards, and I guess it was still settling in. Everyone already got the lowdown on what my deal was from the others, which meant I didn’t have to explain anymore (man I love my little circle), but there was still that new layer of me being some sort of crazy strong warrior to get through before things went back to normal. Oh well, I could wait.

 

The door flew open behind us, and I felt a little bit of malice on the wind. Gassy was on the same boat as me, turning around to see who was there. It was the one monster I was surprised to not see on a boat, the boatman. Their robes seemed to be flowing, magic streaming out from within.

 

The darkness under their hood pointed at us, followed up by a hand. Their fingers were wrinkly, nails ragged and unkept. They pointed at Gaster, and a chill ran up our spines.

 

“You… He Who Speaks in Hands… I’ve finally found you!” Their voice was a harsh screech, nothing like that joyous bounce that was always humming along the riverbed. Gaster seemed surprised, and not just at the old nickname.

 

“Oh dear, you sound simply ragged, friend. Whatever is the matter?”

 

“Don’t… play coy… with ME! You know… what I want… The piper must be payed!” I was getting freaked now. My mind was already starting to realize a few links the guy had to a certain pilot on a river that may or may not be named after part of a tree. They drew close, leaning in to look Gas in the eye. The air froze as they spoke. “I… want… my three gold pieces!”

 

And there went the tense atmosphere. Alphys (who had been about ready to duck behind the counter) now just sat in her spot, completely bamboozled. Pap was pulling that one face of his. You know, that one. Jaw dropped, eyes bugged, the works.

 

“What three gold, if I may ask? I’m afraid my memory is rather hazy on the subject.”

 

“Come on, you’re supposed to be the smart one, Speaks in Hands! Twenty years ago, we went for a quick lunch after you did some sort of studying out in Snowdin. We agreed to split the bill, but you were three shy on your half, so I covered it with the understanding that you would pay me back the next time you used my services. And, low and behold, you up and vanished soon after just to skip the bill! Well, I’m no fool. As soon as I smelled you in the air, I came running. You aren’t getting away this time, not until I get my gold!”

 

Oh, so that’s why they were all raspy. Mad dash from their spot in Hotland to here would do that to a guy. Chances are that wrinkly skin is from a long day of boating. Water on flesh has that sort of effect. Hooray for the benefits of being a skeleton. Gassy’s eyes lit up in understanding.

 

“Ah, I see! Apologies for that. Bit of a major malfunction in a project had… left me in the dark for a while.” He glanced off to one side, something we all figured out meant Frisk was talking to him. “You are certain? Well, alright. If you insist. Just a moment…” His pockets clicked as a hand fished around in them, soon pulling out the promised bits of shiny metal. “Here you are, friend. I do hope the wait wasn’t too much trouble.” The outstretched palm accepted the payment, at which point any traces of threat on the boatman vanished.

 

“It’s fine, friend! It’s just that keeping my boat in top condition is an expensive necessity. Riding along while my baby has a chip is the worst feeling, one three G can clear straight away.” They went to put their hand away, but Pap was quick to grab it.

 

“BOAT PERSON! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOUR NAILS? THEY ARE SIMPLY A WRECK! NO OFFENSE!” Real tactful, bro.

 

“None taken, friend. It seems any manicure specialists left with the rest of you when the barrier shattered. Alas, my hands have suffered as a consequence. I am just lucky my usual wood dealer is still in a tasteful vicinity of the river.”

 

“U-um, I think Catty can help you with those. She used to do mine for me all the time, back when I was on the s-streets. I can show you the way after we get done with our snack break, i-if you want.”

 

“Oh, that would be delightful! Thank you friend. Doo, doo, doo~.” Muffet popped back in with our orders. Mmm, cold chocolate. “Excuse me, Ma’am, may I have one glass of cider?”

 

“Certainly, Dearie. I’ll be just a second.” She was almost through the door to the back, but turned to stare at the boatman with a cold enough gaze to give an Ice Cap hypothermia. “Oh, and if you cause such a stir in my bakery again, you will have to repay me in _homemade_ ingredients.” Well, good to see nothing too painful came of that. I took a bite out of the rim of my chocolate, when something else occurred to me.

 

“say, boatman, how did you remember gas all this time?”

 

“Why wouldn’t I? Time may march on, but my memory is still thirty-twenty.” Meh, good enough for me. I went for a nibble out of the handle next, knowing full well that this was one of those people you just didn’t try to understand too much.

 

-

 

It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, snow flowers were blooming (thanks to the imagination of local snow sculptures), the weather was perfect for a snowball fight. As was usual around these parts, something was destined to go wrong. Well screw you, too, whatever deity keeps doing this.

 

We were on the way to Catty and Bratty’s place (didn’t really have anything better to do than follow others around that day) when we caught some sort of commotion in town square. The dog guards were all in a circle, fur standing on end. I think it was the first time I ever saw Greater genuinely angry. Undyne was decked out in her royal armor, the only thing missing being her jagged-toothed helmet.

 

“Look, bub, just let the kid go and things don’t have to get messy!”

 

“To Hell with that, you damn piranha! Go get the kid or the lizard gets the knife!” That was the voice of someone desperate, and apparently he had a hostage. Undyne said kid, the crook said lizard…

 

“Let me go, man!” Oh shingles, it’s Lansot. Gas and I elbowed our way through the crowd that was gathering, though that only lasted for a few feet. As soon as they realized who was getting so pushy, everyone handily parted to give us a clear path. The only ones still holding their ground in our way were the dogs.

 

The guy caught wind of us real quick, his eyes narrowing in fury. He looked pretty raggedy, clothes all wrinkled, mid-length, brown hair completely tangled. Those bags under his eyes told me just how much he had been sleeping, and how little trying to convince him of anything would do.

 

“Finally! You, ‘ambassador’ kid.” The words were spat out, like he just found out the apple he bit into had a worm in it. A switchblade was gripped tightly in his right hand, pressed against the skin of his captive. Lansot was stuck in a headlock, unable to do much more the hyperventilate, lest the blade pierce his throat. Even a shallow scratch from someone with that much hate would be a death sentence. Even so, the kid’s eyes lit up as he saw us, his trust for us shining through.

 

“What do you wish of me, sir?” Gas still sounded as professional as ever, but there were a few little nuances only people who knew him well would pick up on. His hands had gone behind his back, straightening his already stiff posture even more. His tone wasn’t as smooth anymore, losing that sense of joviality he always seemed to hold.

 

“I’ll tell you what I want. I want you to bring whoever killed Johnny forward, I want that monster dead, and I want the rest of you to fuck back off underground. Got it?”

 

“I’m afraid I’ve no idea what you are on about. Perhaps you should clear things up?”

 

“Don’t play stupid, brat! A pal of mine, found dead smack dab in the middle of town, without a clue as to who did it or where they went. Sounds to me like one of you freaks magicked him out of the picture. Now, go get whichever thing killed him and you can have the kid back.” Oh yeah, I remembered that the newspapers were all abuzz about it. Guy stabbed to death in an alley over in New Haven, all without a drop of forensic evidence left over to track the killer with. Real suspicious, but…

 

“look, there’s no evidence saying there was magic involved. there would’ve been a clear residue on the body if it was. start thinking with your head instead of your adrenaline. makes things so much easier.”

 

“Shut up! I don’t care what you say, your tricks aren’t gonna twist me like everyone else. This is your last chance, freak. Cough him up!” Someone doesn’t like honest criticism. I was already trying to piece together a strategy. Can’t use any lasers or bones, too much of a chance that I’d hit Lansot. My only chance was warping in, grabbing him, and warping out before he could move. Real slim chance, but it’s all I had. I already felt my eye socket getting hot when Gas took a few more steps forward.

 

“It is impossible to bring you someone who doesn’t exist in our ranks. Look, you have crossed my metaphorical line several times over, but I will attempt to remain civil in the name of decency. Let Lansot go and we can talk this out. I cannot blame you for becoming irate at the loss, but forcing the same on an innocent party will only cause more needless pain. This will be your only warning. LET HIM GO.” For a kindly old dude, he could really drop that voice of his.

 

“Stop talking! That’s it, if you won’t bring me the right guy, I’ll just take out as many of you creeps as I can!” The knife went up, and I reached out, ready to grab his wrist with blue magic. Gas was just a touch quicker, already taking a solid hold.

 

The difference? He didn’t have any telekinetic abilities. Just a bare hand and a weird, purple warping aura. The air was alive with crackling static. Some of it fizzed away, but the rest gathered in his hand.

 

“It seems I must take drastic measures. Congratulations, you have ticked me off something fierce, Andrew.” The palm of his gripping hand exploded in lightning, throwing the kidnapper’s limb back as the pocketknife went flying. Gas’s other hand shot out for Lansot, taking him along for the next blink. The only thing left in the circle was the man, screaming in pain as the violet electricity ran along his arm.

 

Undyne took her chance, pouncing on him with a pair of handcuffs, careful to not touch any of the wisps of lightning arcing around his skin as she restrained him.

 

“Got you now, bub! You’re under arrest for kidnapping, attempted murder, of a child, no less, not to mention that little case of intended genocide you yelled out for everyone to hear. Trust me, the list goes on for a long while.” He seemed out of it, looking slowly up my way, where Gas had reemerged with a disheveled Lansot.

 

“Thanks, Gas. I owe you one, yo! No, wait, more than one.” Gas was running a hand over his back, trying to ease the panic.

 

“Come now, friend, you owe me nothing. Breath in, breath out, that’s it. Let the tension bleed itself away. Frisk suggests I take you for a nice cream, steady the nerves. How does that sound?”

 

“How…?” That Andrew guy was talking again, his air still not restocked from the barracuda tackle knocking it out. “How do you know my name?” Gaster slowly turned around, stepping back towards the now-incapacitated crook. His pupils had shrunk to pinpricks, a few wisps of that fog falling from the mask.

 

“Oh, I know I great many things, Andrew Reynolds. Mechanic, specializing in motorcycle repairs. Collector of pretty stones and gems. Graduated near the top of your class with a GPA of three-point-five.” The air was getting kind of weighted again, but wasn’t getting any lighter with time. Gas trailed his way around the man, Undyne doing her best to not freak out while caught in the crossfire of the increasingly vicious gaze.

 

“You see, there is not much that escapes my sight, especially not when the topic has so thoroughly dug its way into my skin.” The mask came to life in its own right, its surface seeming to undulate alongside the steady flow of darkness leaking from its pores. His movement was getting more and more smooth, to the point where I could forgive an onlooker for thinking his legs weren’t even moving anymore.

 

“I have suffered from several afflictions in my time. Old age, forgetfulness, _being_ _erased_ , but there exists no ailment as great as the threat of losing those close to me. I am the one who glides through the ocean of time. I am he who exists beyond the binds of time and space, summoned to this place to aid this unfortunate child. I am He Who Speaks in Hands, Professor W.D. Gaster.” He leaned in close, hovering an inch away from the guy’s face as his eye lights sank into the mist, leaving only cold, dead sockets behind.

 

“And I am the one you will face should you, or any who wish these people harm, cause disharmony in this peaceful place. And I assure you, the abyss will open wide to accept a twisted Soul such as yours. Good day.” With that said, he drifted away, figure slowly shifting back to normal. No more fog filled the air around him, and the lights in his eyes had returned full force. It was as though nothing had even happened, barring the stunned silence from the monsters around us.“Say, Lansot, how does that nice cream sound?” He shook the daze off, looking at Gassy in appreciation.

 

“It, uh, sounds good, man. I could really use it.”

 

“As could I. This afternoon has been surprisingly draining.” Undyne was next in line for getting her senses back.

 

“Hey, you all just gonna stand there all day?! Guards, I could use a hand getting this guy booked, if you’re done getting spooked by the old guy that is.” And just like that, the square went back to normal. Alphys resumed her and the boatman’s walk, but I contented myself by following Gas and Lansot. From the way everyone acted around them, two things became clear to me.

 

One, they weren’t going to let that display of fear tactics stop them from being close and chummy with the local nice guy. But that leads directly to the second thing. They now knew how bad of an idea judging anyone I’m associated with by the cover was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, tried thinking up an explanation for Boatman. That was a mistake, so I scrapped that plan. For now.
> 
> Oh and, by the by, Broken Clock just hit 100 kudos. Party Hard!


	5. Digging Deeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one enjoys being left in the dark.

Proprietors of nice cream have always been the kind sort. A side effect of constantly being close to such a positive aura, I’m certain. He could tell Lansot and I were a touch lower today than usual, and so was kind enough to offer us an item from the premium menu, and at a reasonable price to boot. We were fortunate for that, as well as that one’s willingness to continue business in the dead of winter.

 

One bite was enough to trigger the magical effects of the treat, sending a reinforcing message directly to the brain. _‘I hope you have an ice day!’_ Well, it seemed to do wonders for Frisk, a good laugh resonating from their projection. I would have cracked a grin of my own if I had a functioning mouth to do so with. Sans was truly the best at ruining a sense of humor, but I didn’t particularly mind. Lansot’s message looked to be less comedic in nature, his warm smile showing that all points had been allocated to support for his variant.

 

We found our way to a park bench to enjoy the nice cream more thoroughly, but my thoughts were mostly elsewhere. If we hadn’t been passing the square at that exact moment, there was a good chance Lansot’s fate would have ended right then and there.

 

_‘I… would have reloaded a Save if it happened.’_

 

_‘A good decision, but what if you hadn’t heard the news until after you Saved_ _again? You can only keep one at a time, correct?’_ Their silence told me all I needed to hear. It was high time I moved from what could have been and onto what still was. Somewhere out there, several humans had united in the name of getting rid of monster kind, through any means necessary. The unexplained murder that man cited as his driving force would increase the vigor of others as well.

 

I may have technically been a human myself, but it was incidents like this that made me question if that was a good thing. So many leaped to the first conclusion, instantly aligning against anything that went against the normal flow. I mean, if an Amalgamate could emerge from a cocktail of nearly deceased humans, they would be written off as something that needed to be destroyed. Honestly, tumbling down the mountain that day two decades ago was one of the best thing to ever happen to me.

 

_‘Gaster?’_

 

_‘Oh, my apologies, child. It seems I have become rather jaded to these things_ _over the years. Please, pay my rambling no mind.’_ I had already asked Frisk for everything they knew of this anti-monster group, and it only turned up what one would expect. Their stance in politics, leading their own official (though, thankfully, rather immobile in terms of growth) movement. The conferences between members that were often taken apart by incognito police after finding them to be rallies to gather a mob for a full on assault of Ebott village. Those sorts of things.

 

These tidbits were good to note for later, though they wouldn’t lead to much as far as immediate actions were concerned. I needed to poke around, see if there was anything that could be found to help stand stronger against these terrorist style assaults the next time one occurred. I found myself looking to Lansot, finishing the last of his nice cream.

 

“Pardon me, Lansot, I know it isn’t the best idea to make you remember that lot at the moment, but I am in need of whatever information you may possess about these anti-monster activist types.” I could see the twitch he tried to suppress, that flash of terror in his eyes. It made me feel horrible for asking. “You don’t have to, if you think it would be too traumatic to bring up. There are others I could…”

 

“No, it’s fine, yo.” He put up a facade of his usual chipper attitude. Well, façade isn’t quite the right term. It implies falsehood, which wasn’t that case. His emotions were genuine, but so was that ocean of fear hiding just beneath the surface. “But, uh, I thought you already knew everything? Remember, you had that big speech about flying over an ocean or something?”

 

“Well, were I back in the End, I would have access to such information, but those abilities have altered now that I am in the physical plain. Here, look at it like this.” I grabbed a nearby stick, drawing a large circle in the snow. “Imagine this to be eternity, and this…” I added a small dot to the center. “…to be me. When I was one with the End, I could wander wherever my heart desired, look upon any event that grabbed my interest, though the lack of anyone to converse about them with made it all feel so hollow. But, I digress. Things have changed ever since I bound myself to this mask.”

 

“You can consider this layer of reality to be like a… like a spotlight.” I etched another, smaller circle around the dot representing myself. “I can still see events, but only when they pertain directly to someone within this area of effect. Furthermore, as this person would be my link to those events, anything they would rather remain blocked off takes longer to access than something surface level, such as a name or beloved hobby.”

 

“Okay, so if you wanted to get your hands on something I thought was real embarrassing for me, you’d have to be close for a while?” I nodded, allowing my joy at his discovery to leak into my eyes. “Wait, does that mean you know all my personal junk!? Oh, this is so not cool…” I couldn’t help but chuckle as he covered his face with his tail.

 

“Don’t worry yourself. I have to actually be putting effort in to find anything. Besides, I promise you, here and now, that if something personal does happen to leak, it will stay between you, Frisk, and I.” He let out a sigh, figure drooping with the revelation that his secrets were safe.

 

“That’s a big relief. So, the anti-monster dudes, right?” I nodded again, perking my ears. “Well, I don’t really have all that much for you. Now Brutus, that guy’s on the ball. There was this weird get together they had just a mile out of town, and things were gonna get nasty. Know how the cops knew where it was?”

 

“How?” I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but I played along regardless.

 

“Brutus had his ears open for ‘em. I don’t know how, but he found out that there was a huge number of people who were buddy-buddy with that group moving in on Ebott, fast. He passed it along to the Captain over in New Haven and, just like he said, there was an angry mob about ready to move out, pitchforks and everything. Thank goodness for Brutus, right?”

 

Very interesting, indeed. That boy was the embodiment of surprise, despite being very open about nearly everything. I felt sorry for any who wrote Brutus off on appearance alone, as he was a standup example of why I still had hope for humanity. A good heart, strong nerves, and he got things done. I pondered going to see him at that very moment, but such a plan was halted by the slowly setting sun.

 

“I will have to ask him for more details on Monday. Thank you kindly, Lansot. This may be just the lead I need.”

 

“Aw, it’s nothing. Pals take care of pals right?” He rose his tail, rolling it up into a tight ball. If I remembered correctly, this was that ‘fist bump’ gesture kids were doing these days. I rose my own curled up hand, lightly bumping it against his tail.

 

“That they do, my friend.” The memory of Frisk’s confession still rang strongly in my core, pushing me to keep an eye on my troubled companion. “That they do.”

 

-

 

It seemed the end of the day would not bring the end of my research. I returned to Frisk’s home to find Toriel, staring out a window in the dining room, a pot of what smelled to be golden flower tea at the center of the table. She heard me enter the room, prompting her to turn her gaze on me. Her eyes were churning with an endless sea of concern.

 

Not that this was too odd of an occurrence as of late, mind. It was often that I found her deep in thought. The one factor that changed things completely was her overall disposition. Most times, she was still able to maintain her motherly nature. Now, though, she had lost that touch of warmth, her figure one of pure business.

 

“Gaster, please, have a seat.” I knew better than to argue with her at this point,

taking a spot directly across from her, refusing to break eye contact.

 

“I imagine there is something bothering you.” A slight tilt up and down was her only confirmation. She pulled a pair of teacups closer to herself, wiping one with a rag produced from her robe pocket. A paltry amount of tea filled the cup, which she was quick to consume, wiping it once more with the rag. The procedure was repeated with the second cup before filling it properly, sliding it to my end of the table.

 

_‘Oh dear.’_ I recognized the ritual instantly. It was an old tradition passed down by royalty for generations. On the surface, nobles often warred for power, and would sink to any low to further their control. It wasn’t uncommon for them to poison their fellow leaders and take over their land, hence this ritual.

 

The cup was wiped with a rag, then used to take a drink. This proved that cup, rag, and tea itself weren’t poisoned. The host did as such to all cups planned to be used in the following discussion as a show of good will. Even here, when we knew no one would poison each other, it still served an important purpose.

 

It was a sign that the conversation about to be held was not to be taken lightly. She knew I, as a well educated man, would get the meaning. Miss Toriel meant business. Or should I say her Majesty, Queen Toriel?

 

“You have been a mystery to me for quite some time, Gaster. As such, I’ve no idea how I should respond to today’s… incident.” So she heard of the kidnapping. It made sense. Though she no longer ruled over monster kind, she was still a highly respected individual.

 

“Yes, it was a rather tense couple of minutes.”

 

“It would have led to a far less pleasant conclusion, if He Who Speaks in Hands had not gotten involved. Care to elaborate on that little moniker?”

 

“Ah, that. You see, the boatman once found his way into my lab back before the DT Enabler. You see, I mumble to myself and write my notes in Wing Dings, a cypher of sorts, in order to keep the more unstable portions of my tests away from the unprepared. Many of the symbols look like hands, ergo, He Who Speaks in Hands. I found it a fun name, and so never asked them to stop.” I should have known that rather ominous title would come back to bite me. Too late now, I suppose. Toriel took a sip of her tea before moving on.

 

“Enough of this small talk. There are many things I do not know about you, about this entire situation. I choose to trust you only because Sans and Alphys speak in your favor. However, my faith has a limit, and I’ve grown tired of being left out of the loop. If you wish to earn that trust I’ve given you as a protector of my child, you will answer my questions honestly.”

 

This was an opportunity I had been waiting for. I took my own slow, deep draw of golden flower tea, requiring all the muscle stability I could muster. I could feel Frisk panic at the sight of their mother’s long dormant stern side. Their last encounter was a bit… heated.

 

_‘Peace, friend. You know she only works with the best of intentions at heart.’_ The fear receded as my attention returned to Toriel.

 

“The trust is very much appreciated, I will admit that much, but there is something I need even more at this juncture. Information, whether it be the data itself or they who may have it. I will answer your inquiries as directly as I can if you can promise the same in return.” Toriel seemed taken back for a moment, but her mask had only shifted a little, staying on as she remembered the deal would still fulfill her end of the bargain.

 

“Very well, Gaster. I will begin with something simple. Thus far, I have been informed of the powers known as Save and Reset. Are there any other abilities I should be aware of pertaining to this Determination?” Simple indeed.

 

“There are a great many things one could do through the application of DT. For example, I, personally, can be made privy to events from any point in time and space, given that the correct conditions are met, but I believe you meant specifically those Frisk can use. There are two details you’ve yet to hear. The first is the very power that allowed they and I to meet in the first place, piercing the borders of existence.” She was already intrigued, her eyes narrowing slightly.

 

“It is difficult for them to gather enough DT to use the ability on their own, bordering on impossible, really, but it can be accomplished through the aid of another DT user. Upon collecting enough, they are able to let their Soul leave their body and, if launched fast enough, push it beyond our own timeline. Many exist in this wide, wide multiverse, and they can see them all, given enough time. The one limit is that they can only see the timelines from their own point in time. There is no traveling to a point further up or down the rivers yet.” An eyebrow rose.

 

“Yet?”

 

“DT, much like magic, becomes easier and easier to use as one practices. When I began out in the void, I could only read this timeline, and only within a span of about a decade. As I became more attuned to my abilities, more and more timelines opened up, as well as points further along our own river. It is not far fetched to imagine Frisk could unlock more possibilities in time.” Her expression shifted back to neutrality when I had said enough.

 

“The other point of interest is not a power, so much as a base rule. The powers of Save and Reset are a fickle pair. They belong only to those with the greatest amount of DT in the realm at any given time. It is entirely possible for another to come along with a greater raw DT store and steal the powers from Frisk. Considering who our most pressing opponent is, that is a possibility we will need to keep in mind.” A touch of sadness slid through her at the implication, though only for a moment.

 

“Well, since you’ve brought them up, I believe Chara will do as the next topic. What do you know of them?” I grew silent, finishing the last of my tea as my response was organized.

 

“There is not much I can clarify in that child’s case, though that in and of itself may be a large piece of the puzzle. I have recorded everything they have done in the Underground, from those untouchable moments with your family to any timeline in which they dominated Frisk’s will early enough to wreak havoc. I would rather not delve into the latter, but will should you ask. What intrigues me is something else, from before their fall into your world.”

 

“What events could interest one who sees all?” My smile would have been wry if, well, you know.

 

“That’s just it. It isn’t the events, it’s a lack thereof. No matter how deeply I dug, I could never uncover anything more on them. It feels as though there is a hole in time and space, through which they just popped into our existence atop Mount Ebott. I cannot explain it, even with so much roaming beneath my belt.” The silence went on even longer, a clear fracture in Toriel’s mask formed. The full weight of that truth hit her as it had me, confusion clear on her features. She shook it off, wisely deciding to mull more on the point later.

 

“Very well. I’ve but one more question to ask.” Her eyes intensified, trying to peer through my very being. She didn’t quite accomplish her task, but was dangerously close. I should know how it feels. After all, another was doing just that at the moment. “What do you plan to gain out of this? A body, more knowledge, control? What is your game?” My metaphorical expression softened, that Soul of hers rising to the surface. Even the cold shell of a great queen could not hide the presence of a kindred spirit, in at least one regard.

 

“It is really quite simple, a desire you would know well. I wish only to protect those I love.” I ran fingers over the rim of my empty teacup, the repetitive motion helping me reminisce. “Sans, Alphys, Papyrus, they’ve been dear to me for as long as I care to remember. Of all the memories and visions that compose my complex, few stand as high as those I have shared with those three. And now, I find that circle growing.”

 

“Undyne’s ceaseless energy and guts, Mettaton’s lust for life, young Lansot’s honest vigor… So many who I can claim to care for above myself, and I have Frisk to thank for that connection. This one is only second to my own children in my heart, and I defy God himself to wish harm upon them.” She was as attuned to emotions as I, unable to remain stony in the face of my honest care. Her tensed muscles relaxed, and she let herself smile.

 

“It looks like I misjudged you, Gaster. Please, forgive my misplaced suspicions.”

 

“Of course. I would be as hostile to any who may harm my own. Now, I hate to be hasty, but you’ve agreed to answer my questions, correct?” She wiped away a few drops of moisture accumulating on her eyelids, though not out of desire to keep her heart hidden.

 

“Yes, I have. Go ahead.”

 

“First of all, I need all you know of this monster hostile movement that has been making rounds in the human community.” I’m not certain, but I think her smile grew even wider.

 

“You are not the only one who has been curious about those ruffians. I have all I know written down, if you would care to read through the notes.”

 

“Lovely! That will do very well. Now, part two.” My emotions pulled inwards enough to start effecting the appearance of my mask, but not enough to begin leaking. I set my right hand over my left wrist, tapping it with a single finger as though subtly gesturing to a watch.

 

Right on cue, the flow of time around us began to slow. Toriel’s fur bristled a little, glancing left and right as the room’s color palate dulled ever so slightly. I leaned closer to her, doing every minor tweak to my form that would display just how serious the question in mind was. Frisk tried to pull me out of it when they caught just what i was thinking.

 

_‘Apologies, friend. This is something that needs to be asked. I will do my best to_ _keep your oath to secrecy intact, but I can make no absolute promises.’_

 

“Now, how much do you know of the one called… Flowey?” Her eyes opened wide, trying to pull anything hidden deep out as per my request.

 

“I’m afraid I do not know that name. Should I?” I settled back in my seat, sorely wishing I hadn’t finished my drink.

 

“If you are afraid of subterfuge to any extent, that is the one you must beware. He will sink to any low to get what he desires. Should you encounter him, do not underestimate his rather innocent appearance. Barring Chara, he is the one who has scarred Frisk the deepest in the Underground. Beware the flower, for that soulless husk will lead you to ruin should it amuse him. Remember that.” Time resumed its normal flow as the DT in the air retreated.

 

“Actually, you know what? I think I should save it for later. This long day has drained me so. Goodnight, Miss Toriel.” I spoke a phrase under my breath in Wing Dings, an unmistakable series of clicks and snaps woven throughout. She caught on immediately, memorizing every syllable as completely as she could.

 

“Of course, stressful situations tend to do that. Goodnight Gaster, Frisk. Sweet dreams.” I made my way up the stairs to Frisk’s room. There was a benefit to sleeping on the second floor, namely that Flowey couldn’t burrow his way there.

 

_‘You know he doesn’t care about hurting people anymore.'_

 

_‘I do not blame you for trusting his word, but I’ve seen his deception one too_ _many times. I would rather be safe than sorry. Speaking of which…’_ I caught a flicker of movement just around the corner up ahead. It was a speck of blue fabric, with a single string of static flowing from the cover. I owed him for his aid with keeping my explanation secretive. Time and space manipulation was a handy tool.

 

“Goodnight, my son. Sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stir, stir, stir the plot, make it nice and thick...!


	6. Taking Root

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be careful if you stop to smell the flowers, they may not be all that they appear.

It was late, far later than I had been awake since arriving on the surface, but I could manage. Tomorrow was Sunday, meaning I could afford a lack of sleep. I had something important to find, poking around the human internet for a translator. He had said that language was Wing Dings, a rather uncovered topic as far as I could tell.

 

Eventually, my efforts bore fruit, a pair of blank boxes. One was labelled English, the other Wing Dings. Perfect. I just had to shift the options from symbols to exact pronunciation. I slowly entered his words into the latter box, making certain that I had remembered them correctly. If he felt the need to use his code language, it must have been important. The sounds were shaped out as accurately as possible, and I hit the enter key. After a few seconds, the equivalent phrase was displayed in the English portion.

 

‘HE MAY BE WATCHING.’

 

My stomach twisted in knots as the words sunk in. The person mentioned was obviously this Flowey character he had warned me about. If he was comparable in status to Chara, who had supposedly committed genocide against our people, our entire world, then the idea of him being able to monitor us was one to be feared.

 

“yeah, not the best of people.” Sans was lucky I had refined control over my magic, else my fear would have blown up in his face. When I turned to face him, swiveling my office chair around, his disposition seemed… off. He just stood there, in the middle of my in-home office, eyes dulled and posture slouched. The latter was normal, but combined with how dead the rest of his figure looked, it became unsettling.

 

“Ugh, you really should not sneak up on someone like that, Sans.”

 

“sorry, tori, just thought i’d drop you a vine, that’s all.” He paused for a moment, as he did every time he delivered a pun. I didn’t quite get the joke, though, so he just continued. “i, uh, heard what gas had to say. what’cha think so far?”

 

“If I may speak plainly, this Flowey sounds despicable.” It confused me when his eyes dipped even lower on the light spectrum. “Is there something I do not know here?” I heard the air near him shift slightly. It was like he had tried starting repeatedly, only to shut himself off. He finally gave in with an exhausted sigh.

 

“sorry, tori. there’s a few things about that plant that have to stay on the down low. trust me, ’s for the best.” How could leaving me in the dark be for the best? Could the truth of the matter be as horrible as he made it out to be? “i see you thinkin,’ and i know what it is, but i’m draggin’ my feet on this one. you already had one of the kids you cared about ruined forever, and i won’t be the jerk who takes another away from ya.’”

 

At that revelation, all I could do was sit there. Flowey, this horrible being, was tied to a child of mine? Which one? Billy, John, or maybe…? No, Sans had pushed himself far enough just to say that much. I wouldn’t force him any further, as I knew the answers I craved in this case would be the death of me.

 

“Very well, Sans. I believe your judgment on this matter. If there is something else you think I would find useful, please, share it with me.” He waltzed his way closer, taking a seat on top of a nearby filing cabinet. He landed with a thud, his bones rattling as they settled from the jolt.

 

“first of all, not everything the flower does is evil, just selfish. remember back when ch… well, you know who, popped up and threw me into a building?” How could I forget? It was among the most horrifying experiences I had ever lived through, and considering what else had happened that day, that is a hefty thing to claim. “i’d’ve been a rock sans-wich if flowey hadn’t wrapped me up in vines. said he’d rather have me around to fight the kid than get his own vines cut up.”

 

“That is stratagem one-oh-one. Allow two enemies to exhaust themselves on each other before risking casualties yourself. How does that effect anything?” His increasingly shaky smile seemed reinforced by whatever he was thinking.

 

“gas told ya how Save could get hijacked, right? well, this is the guy frisk swiped it from in the first place.” The trickster once had control over time? That could only end so well. “yeah, he started getting bored being a nice guy, and thought it’d be fun to try his leaves at murdering everything. sound familiar?”

 

“Of course, that is the route that Ch… Chara had taken.”

 

“it ended up about the same way, too. killed everyone bit by bit, then tried for the king. thing is, there’s always one more guy you’ve gotta pass to get into new home. me.”

 

It was still a surprising idea that the most calm, collected member of our community was far and away the strongest when push came to shove. Asgore had requested updated information on Sans’s abilities shortly after the incident, and Alphys begrudgingly complied. The numbers were incredible, exponentially greater than every other monster on record in speed, cunning, and raw strength. His only drawback was in his health statistics, which were well below that of a child.

 

That notebook detailing Chara’s encounters with Sans still haunted my nightmares. It was more than a simple number, as had been shown for the rest of us. Sans had a highly detailed recollection of every fight he had ever held against them, from every timeline he could remember the existence of. If he had fought Flowey in a similar manner, chances were good that he could recall them as well. And if memories returned to Flowey in the same way…

 

“He recalls just how many times you two had fought.” He nodded, holding back a chuckle.

 

“yeah, the two of us went at it like starving dogs. i always came out on top, hence why we aren’t all dead right now, and he remembers each and every shot I ever got off on him. but he still helped me out, knowing that i was useful to him this time. if i wasn’t, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t have batted an eye when I got smushed. i got lucky, that’s for sure.”

 

“but it also shows just how clever the weed is. he knew i’d be able to stop chara somehow, he knew i’d try to save frisk. i’ve thought on it a good bit, and the more i do, the more pieces fall into place. he saved me to keep frisk in the picture. he saved you so he didn’t have to give up a piece of the puzzle to toy with. he backed out to let things go on as they would from there. it’s all a game to him. maybe not to the same extent as you know who, but still the same basic principles. if it amuses him, he’ll do it, no matter what.”

 

“So we are faced with two beings without empathy or a reason to stop.” Things were becoming more and more bleak by the moment.

 

“not quite. flowey started off like that, but the game’s changed. he got his stem kicked by frisk twice over, and now it looks like he just wants to see what frisk gets up to. chara wants to bring things to an end. think about it.” The gears turned in my mind, pieces finally clicking into place.

 

“If Chara’s goals oppose his, then he may act as an ally in this matter.” Sans snapped his fingers.

 

“exactly. but remember, that’s a loose alliance. don’t lean on him too hard, and don’t expect him to be all buddy buddy with us during or after the fight, alright?” I nodded, fully aware of the concept of personal agendas. “good. now, i should probly get going. pap’ll be worried if i’m not home before long. see ya, tori, and keep your ears open.”

 

“Goodnight Sans, and thank you for the honesty.” I turned back to my computer, hearing the telltale crackling that accompanied his teleportation. There were many things I’m not sure I should have heard in that conversation, but I am glad I heard them regardless. At least now I was on a more even playing field with these forces that meant us harm.

 

-

 

I cut my blink off about half way home. The air felt nice on my tired bones, so I thought I’d walk the rest of the way. I think I earned my right to a relaxing stroll, having gone through Tori’s stare down without breaking.

 

I guess the flower didn’t agree. The dirt to my side shifted a little, and yellow petals appeared at the edge of my vision.

 

“Well, you’ve been busy, Mr. Smiles.” Resist the temptation to shoot. Just hold out until Chara’s gone, then do it when he starts being a threat.

 

“yeah, and you’ve been sitting on your roots since the fight. guess you oughta be green with envy for my new work ethic.” That groan was one of the best responses to a pun this side of Frisk and Tori’s laughter.

 

“Laugh it up, guy. At least I can take a hit before popping.” Oh, playing the HP card. Real original.

 

“how ‘bout instead of using the same insults from back in the day over and over again, you tell me what you want?”

 

“Huh, actually trying to hurry things along. That’s new. Well, if you want me out of your nonexistent hair, you’ll tell me what that Gaster guy told the goat.”

 

“what, you deaf or something? he just asked her about those stubborn humans and got too worn to keep going.” That hit a nerve. I swear, that pointed-tooth look of his was losing its bite.

 

“You know what I mean! I felt time going wishy washy, and the only other time that happened is when you and the kid were talking about something in that coal chewer’s bar. What’s the deal?”

 

“oh, that. sorry, brussels, but that’s not for me to flap my gums about.”

 

“You don’t have any gums!”

 

“bingo.” And with that, I just kept strolling along. I think he got the memo, burying himself back out of sight. As soon as his aura was out of range, I let myself slump from the pressure. Dealing with him normally was routine. Dealing with him when I knew he could spark up that Omega form of his was something else.

 

Change in plans. Needed to stop off at Grillby’s first. I really needed some ketchup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, nothing like writing a Sans trying to be annoyingly comedic.


	7. To Defend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where can one find their light in the shadow of titans?

Yeah, that was exactly what I needed. No one made a bottle of the tangy stuff like Grillby. It’s a good thing he didn’t question my taste in drinks, and that he didn’t mind me popping in at midnight to satisfy it.

 

When I got back to my neighborhood, I noticed that there was still a light on. Not all the lights in the house, like Pap usually had on up until bedtime, just one little glow coming from the living room. That meant one of two things. Either he had forgotten about one of them (which wasn’t a real big possibility) or he was waiting for me out of worry.

 

Not because he didn’t trust me. He knew how I operated, just kind of drifting along, but then my coma happened. I heard everyone had agreed that I’d be up in no time, but Pap couldn’t keep his nerves together. I knew it was a pretty bad case of the jitters when I woke up to see the floor was clean enough to see a clear reflection in. I don’t think that carpet’s ever been cleaner.

 

Even after I was up and about, he was a bit more clingy than usual. I didn’t mind, he’s a pretty cool dude after all, but seeing those slight rings under his sockets when I woke up from a nap didn’t quite work for me. It was like seeing a kangaroo just kind of drag its feet across the plains, as if nature itself was out of whack. I didn’t want him to get any worse than he already was, so I blinked myself right up to the doorstep.

 

I popped it open to the last thing I thought I’d see on Pap’s watch. The floor was covered in crumpled up pieces of paper. Loose leaf sheets that looked like a notebook threw up on the rug. I pulled one up, opening it to see what looked like a beginner’s attempt at sketching one of my blasters. Its eyes were covered in shades, the pointed edges exaggerated as far as I thought realistically possible. The entire drawing was hastily scribbled over with the words ‘TOO FLASHY!’ in Papyrus font. I did the same to a few more, each following a similar thread, though the designs were different each time.

 

‘TOO PLANE!’

‘TOO CHEF-LIKE!’

‘TOO LOPSIDED!’

 

My perusing was interrupted by a crunching sound to my left, followed by a flying wad of paper. I found the source pretty quickly, a very tired looking Papyrus. He was on the couch, hunched over the coffee table with a pencil, a lot of torn up notebooks, and a fresh sheet of paper. The sketch was starting to look a lot like my blasters, though the points were a touch shorter, the eyes a little more expressive. Then, suddenly, his hand went wild, scrawling a message over the blaster.

 

‘TOO MUCH LIKE SANS’S!’

 

He crumpled it up, and was about to toss it when I coughed. His eyes slowly floated up to look at me, and they were an absolute mess. Skeletons can’t get bloodshot eyes (since we don’t have eyeballs), but we can get stress lines. His natural, orange magic was running inside his sockets in thin, jagged lines, woven like a drunk spider’s web. I plopped myself on the sofa next to him, pulling up a few more of the pages to look at.

 

“wow, pap. i know you work yourself to the bone every day, but i think you’re hitting the marrow by now. what’s got you so rattled?” He sighed at me, trying to shake the sleep out of his skull. The idea of him not yelling at me for making three puns in a row was a deeply disturbing one. Alright, no Mr. Nice Skeleton this time around. “pap, you’re spookin’ me, bro.”

 

“i’m sorry, brother. it’s just me being a silly bones, that’s all.” Hey, the deflated talk was my thing. It should not have been coming out of that usually hyperactive mouth.

 

“you really think i’ll buy that? i know a thing or three about depression, and you’re gettin’ awful low in that particular pool. throw me a line before i have to jump in after you.” He flinched away from me, but stayed rooted in his spot. His nature of always facing what came head on was a huge benefit, because I didn’t want to have to shift his gravity just to keep him still.

 

“brother, do you think i’m useful?” Now the feeling was less spooked and more scared.

 

“you’re talking about yourself like some sort of tool. what’s running through that head of yours?” Down and down he went, leaning further and further into that limp posture.

 

“today’s incident has made me think. i was there, just watching that child about to be… and what did i do? cower away, hide behind everyone while you and gaster took care of things. if i am to be honest, i’m feeling rather obsolete. heck, i needed to steal your trick just to stand a chance against the ghost child. and to think, i thought i was royal guard material. perhaps i am simply an idiot after all.” You know something? I didn’t think it was possible for there to be a color redder than red, but apparently it was. I was seeing it just then.

 

“pap, you can throw that garbage back at whatever junk dealer pawned it off to you. so what if you needed my blasters? the smart fighter uses anything he can get his hands on. just means you can work on your feet. so what if you hung back? the backup is just as important as the front liners in a pinch. so what if you think you’re useless? you’re still my brother, and i’m not giving you up for the world. besides.” I turned his head my way with a touch of magic. He was shocked to see my left eye was lit, illuminating the moisture on my cheekbones in a soft blue.

 

“whenever i use those things, i’m on a time limit. you know how long i can keep up that act? an average of ten minutes, with an absolute upper limit of fifteen. how long did you have them active, a higher state of them no less?” I could see him trying to figure it out, counting off on one hand.

 

“half an hour, maybe?” I squeezed the whoopee cushion I kept in my pocket.

 

“try four hours. that’s sixteen to twenty-four times longer than me. what good am i against an opponent that’s hard to hit if i can only keep it up for ten lousy minutes? you’ve got the edge there, so don’t you even THINK about calling yourself an idiot again. got it?” The blue light found its way to another pair of tear streams, this time on Pap’s bones. He jumped at me, pulling me off the ground in a rib-crunching hug. I savored the feeling of his raw enthusiasm.

 

“THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, BROTHER! I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU, EVEN IF YOU ARE A LAZY BONES!” Ah, music to whatever let me hear things.

 

“hey, that just means you know i’ll be around. too lazy to go too far, you know?” We just kind of stayed there for a minute, feeling the tension slowly ebb out of his bones. When it was all gone, like a bad dream, I brought up a little idea. “say, what if i helped you build up your own blaster?” The delighted gasp from him was almost as good as that sparkle in his eyes.

 

“YOU WOULD DO THAT FOR ME!?”

 

“why not? i’ve still got the old blueprints tucked away somewhere, just have to dig ‘em out. let me know when you’ve got the time, and we can do a little jam session of our own.” Okay, the hug was getting a little too tight now, but I could put up with it. Anything for the best bro a guy like me could ask for. He’s one of the few things that kept me moving, and there was no length I wouldn’t go to if it meant keeping him happy.

 

Keeping him safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I didn't have enough of the Great Papyrus up to this point. Time to fix that!


	8. Boiling Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more straw is all this camel can take.

This had to stop. Every night, I saw Frisk’s dreams. Actually, dream isn’t the correct term. Nightmare? Haunting memories? Yes, both of those are more applicable. Their mind wouldn’t stop, worries cascading down into an abyss comparable to that of Waterfall, and yet it overflowed like the shallowest of puddles.

 

In one was Chara, trudging through the dust of their victims, cutting down any that entered their path. Papyrus, then Undyne, Mettaton, and eventually, inevitably, Sans. I could hear Frisk’s screams, their pleas for the horror show to stop, but it only made Chara more proud of their actions.

 

In the next was a dark room. In the center sat a lone figure, clad in a green and yellow sweater with fur as white as snow. Asriel was facing the other direction, slowly climbing to his feet.

 

“So Frisk, you saved them. All of them.” A touch of happiness naively made itself known, Asriel turning to look Frisk in the eye. “That’s nice, but…” Where there should have been a smiling muzzle, or perhaps even a melancholic, regretful gaze, there was only the twisted, pointed maw that Flowey before him had donned far too often.

 

“WHY DIDN’T YOU SAVE ME!?” Frisk tried to escape, turn and run with all the swiftness they could muster, but a vine had latched onto their ankle, dragging them into the air. Now, staring them down and blocking the singular, thin ray of light from the surface was the visage of Omega Flowey.

 

“You’ll never get rid of me, YOU IDIOT! HAHAHAHAHAHA…!” That one ended horribly, Frisk getting run through with vines, burned by random bursts of flame, and torn through by those so-called happiness pellets.

 

The third one, however, is the vision that crossed my final nerve. The air was clean, fresh with the smell of rain. Birds were singing their songs, filling the mountainous region with their own glee. And the flowers, their blooms encompassed all the beauty nature could muster.

 

On that day, a child had chosen to climb the local mountain. Their blue and purple sweater waved slightly in the breeze, though their expression seemed confused, distressed even. Their squinted eyes lit up at the sight of the hole at the peak, growing closer and closer. Their voice rose, softly, as though responding to someone who I could not find.

 

“Coming, Mom…” One foot went in front of the other, the ground vanishing as they progressed…

 

I shot awake, looking around the room. The clock said it was only five A.M. To get up now on a Sunday would be blasphemy to most children. I heard Frisk’s mind stirring, hazily pointing out the early hour. Eventually, their focus was retrieved from the land of dreams, noticing my solemn silence.

 

_‘Is… something wrong?’_ Instead of answering with words, I let those visions speak for themselves. Their expression dropped as they realized that not even sleep could separate our seemingly fused comprehension. _‘I’m sorry, Gaster. Can’t help but_ _think about things. Am I in trouble?’_ I mulled a response over for a few moments.

 

_‘Frisk, I understand why you feel this way. Guilt is a powerful force, but this_ _tomfoolery has gone on long enough. I’m telling them. Everything.’_ Their panic elevated through all known boundaries, thoughts flying left and right about how they would react. Their DT slammed against the walls I had constructed, but there was a certain something missing. The energy couldn’t concentrate quite right, its full power locked away.

 

_‘Wait, please! Don’t tell them! They’d… they’d…’_ I felt a twang of sorrow as the weight settled on their shoulders. _‘They’d be so disappointed.’_

 

_‘I know, child, and I tried to give you time to figure things out on your own. But_ _there is no improvement happening, only a deepening pit that you have proven you_ _cannot escape alone. I have asked you with every method I know, but now you will be_ _getting help, whether you consent or not. All I can ask now is that you understand my_ _reasoning.’_

 

They soon gave in to the lack of progress being made on my barriers, relenting to my decision. I promised them that I would protect them no matter what, and now it was time I made good on my vows. A gentleman never goes back on his word.

 

-

 

I stirred my cup of golden flower tea, waiting for the last of our group to gather. If I was going to tell them, then they should all be present. Sans and Alphys sat on either side of me. At my insistence, Toriel was given the next closest seat, her favorite arm chair, and Asgore was directly across from her. Of course, their comfort wasn’t the only factor in that placement, though it was a good side effect.

 

No, the important thing was their positioning. Toriel’s chair was right next to the kitchen entry, the only other room in the house with an exit. Asgore was next to the main entrance. Combining them with Undyne and Papyrus, each within close proximity of the stairs, effectively blocked off any and all escape routes.

 

When dealing with Frisk, there was no telling what they could accomplish. If the person you risked upsetting had once gone face to face against a godly being and won, then no length was too great when attempting to pacify their abilities. Hence why I had whispered to Sans that, if they made a run for it, he was to halt their progress. I had also skipped any pleasantries in the request, an intentionally out of character move on my part.

 

Soon enough, Brutus had arrived as per my request. As soon as he heard my lack of vocal ‘bounce,’ as he called it, he promised to hurry over. On his shoulders was a still sleepy Lansot, who had caught wind of our conundrum when he saw Brutus walking down the street just before sunrise. He wasn’t an easy one to dissuade, but that wouldn’t be a problem. The more trusted people in this support circle, the better. I would have invited Mettaton and Napstablook as well, but they had left for their scheduled tour of the country with Shyren shortly after we awoke from the coma.

 

“Hey, guys. ‘Sup?” Poor Lansot seemed just about ready to fall asleep, only kept awake by concern. Perhaps that’s why Brutus offered him a ride over.

 

“you mean besides you?”

 

“Good morning, fellows. My deepest apologies for bothering you so early in the morning, but I’m afraid this matter isn’t one that can wait.” Brutus was quick to wave off my worries.

 

“Is not problem. If friend needs help, Brutus gives help. That how Brutus works.”

 

“Now that everyone’s here, what’s this little pow-wow about anyhow?” Undyne had been on edge since the moment I told her there was something wrong. Though to say she had been a touch more tense lately period wouldn’t be incorrect. The reason she was already in her armor during yesterday’s kidnapping was because she wanted all her bases covered in case Chara emerged again during her patrol. The last I heard, she had doubled the thickness of every plate by hand, which couldn’t have made for a comfortable fit. Thank goodness all that suplex training was good for one’s nimbleness.

 

“Of course, of course.” I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts as to prevent a stumble on my part. Normally, I would have trusted my speaking skills, but there was something stifling in the air. It made me uneasy, but I couldn’t quite tell why. “You all recall Frisk’s history, correct?”

 

“That depends, which portion?” Despite her wording, I knew Toriel had memorized it more completely than anyone besides Frisk themselves. Even Sans’s record keeping paled in comparison.

 

“The part that occurred on…” A sudden dizziness spell halted my progress. At first I thought it was Frisk attempting to slow me down, but when I looked, they were just sitting atop the sofa. Their expression was one of defeat. What the Devil was that? “… on Mount Ebott, just before they met you.” Her eyes flashed with the horrible memory, the day Frisk threw themselves into the Underground.

 

“I do not think I will ever forget that. What importance does it hold with today’s discussion?”

 

“Quite a bit, I’m afraid. You see, Frisk is experiencing a… a…” This migraine was every form of awful. It was like someone had tainted the very air with malice, the most unpalatable of all emotions. Who here could do that?

 

“ARE YOU OKAY, DADSTER? SHOULD I RUN HOME AND GET HEADACHE MEDICINE?” That skeleton never failed to make me smile with the nickname he had assigned. Said Gas and Gassy were a touch too vulgar for his taste.

 

“I think I’ll be alright, Papy. It should pass in just a…” The floorboards creaked behind me, something slithering up through the cracks. The rustle of petals made me know just how wrong I was.

 

“Howdy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Hey, don't blame me for jamming in the flower. He sprouts up like a weed all on his own.


	9. Seeds of Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insight into the nature of time is messy business, really messes with the head. Just look at this weed.

If I had skin, it would’ve been crawling. No, all I had was a group of pals all staring at the new guy. My sockets were glued to him. He might’ve been a handy ally in the background, but there was something real wrong with him popping up for everyone to see. The last time that happened, it turned into a bad time real quick.

 

“FLOWER FRIEND! I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU SINCE WE CAME TO THE SURFACE! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?” Don’t know how, but I nearly forgot that weed’s been whispering in Pap’s ears for a while. I would’ve torn that sucker apart ages ago for it if Frisk hadn’t been so adamant about being merciful.

 

“You know this person, Papyrus?” Gore didn’t know him, though. At least not this time around. Frisk would’ve been real upset with me if I told him about Flowey’s role in the neutral spaces. I, like a dunce, just said it was a jealous traitor or a twitch of Chara’s spirit that killed him off those times. As a result, he didn’t bat an eye at him. “I would offer him tea, but, uh… I’m not certain if that would count as cannibalism or not. Anyway, who are you, friend? I don’t believe I’ve met a monster quite like you before.”

 

In the corner of my eye, I saw Tori’s pop open. I guess she gathered his ID from the not at all subtle name and my less than me-like posture while looking at him.

 

“You are Flowey, correct?” He looked like he didn’t expect her to know him, but his smug setting was back before too long.

 

“Oh, so _that’s_ what Masky was telling you about. It’s not nice to talk about someone behind their back, you know.” Gas was straining to not look at him. A few little wisps fell from his mask, but he pulled them back in as soon as he saw them.

 

“Brutus not like this Flowey person. Feels… wrong.”

 

“I’m with Brutus here. Something’s just not right, yo.” I was with those two one hundred and ten percent. Never underestimate what a kid can pick up on.

 

“HEY, THAT’S NO WAY TO GREET A FRIEND! I’M SURE YOU’LL LIKE HIM WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW HIM. ADMITTEDLY, HE WAS A TAD ODD AT FIRST, BUT THAT WENT AWAY BEFORE TOO LONG. COME, I’LL MAKE SOME SPECIAL SPAGHETTI FOR THE OCCASION!” As alright as that sounded, I didn’t really trust the weed with a fork. Or chopsticks. Or a spoon for that matter.

 

“Wait, how did you know Gaster and I were having a conversation to begin with?” That’s it, keep going. Spill the beans, before something goes wrong. Gas was nearly at the end of his leash, anger apparent to anyone who bothered to look at him. Heck, even Undyne was leaning the other way. All it would take was a nudge in the wrong direction to…

 

“Asr…” Darn it, Sis, not the time for a nervous blurt. Especially not one that nearly reveals who this guy was. Flowey was on her in a second, suspending himself midair right in front of her nose with vines. His face had taken the sharp-toothed design, and his voice was ringing all across the sound spectrum. And I, as you can imagine, was half a hair from mulching him.

 

“THE NAME’S FLOWEY, YOU IDIOT! You got that? Flow…” The vines connecting him to the ceiling were parted with a sort of ‘schink’ sound. Tendrils of shadow crawled across the floor, Flowey’s fallen body rushing to cling to a wall. I couldn’t believe my sockets, but someone actually made Gaster snap. It wasn’t just some terror display or a facade, he was well and truly enraged.

 

I could barely see the mask under all the fog. It twisted and warped as it flowed, enveloping his entire body. Deep down in his left socket, I saw a small, violet ring of raw energy. Projected over his chest was a heart, his Soul, though the shape was hard to pin down. It was glitching out bad, parts of it obscured by the thick static. What little of it I could see was the same shade of purple as the lightning he could cast. In his hand was some sort of weapon. It kind of looked like one of the long swords the kid could bring out, but it wasn’t exactly stable. It kept trying to expand, only to be reeled in by some force I couldn’t see.

 

“Go back to Hell, damnable husk!” Papyrus was between them before I got a chance to move.

 

“PLEASE, STOP FIGHTING! THIS IS NOT HOW FRIENDS BEHAVE!”

 

“That is no friend, child! It is a soulless shell of what once was, whose power and lack of compassion is only rivaled by Chara itself. Move, before he has a chance to strike!”

 

“WE CAN TALK OUR DIFFERENCES OUT IF YOU CALM DOWN, I’M SURE OF IT!”

 

“I wouldn’t count on it, Skinny. Masky’s a stubborn one.” Gaster had enough of being taunted, rushing to circle around Pap to the next opening. What made it unfair was his use of teleportation, which could out pace even the swiftest among us. I didn’t know what to make of it, whether to side with Gaster or Papyrus. I could only prep myself for running in and pulling one of them out if things got messy for someone besides Flowey. The flower was spared again by Asgore and Undyne, stepping in just as Gaster filtered back into our plane of existence.

 

“Please, Gaster, you must control yourself.”

 

“Yeah, just tell us what’s up!” Alphys was stuck in her spot on the couch, hyperventilating. Toriel was having just as hard of a time processing what was happening, and Lansot was, understandably, cowering behind the furniture. Gaster tried his trick again, only for Brutus to come in.

 

“Friend tell friends what going on!” With that, Flowey was out of walls, but he didn’t look concerned. In fact, he seemed as smug as ever, just kind of sitting there with that grin I came to hate. Gaster was in front of him again, yelling in Wing Dings. Here, I’ll translate.

 

‘Return to the Abyss, trickster.’

 

His sword came down, aimed to cleave Flowey in two. That thing was sharp, cutting through even solid stone with no issues. But it looked like flowers were just past its capabilities. Though, to be fair, it would have to reach one first if it wanted to cut.

 

Gaster froze in the middle of his attack. His whole body was shaking, fighting against the paralysis. The cause didn’t take long to become visible, a series of thin, red strings wrapped around every limb. They led away from Gaster, abruptly ending somewhere over the couch.

 

“Why are you stopping me? You know what he can do just as well as I!” Out of nowhere, a soft, pleasant voice made itself known. It was one I missed hearing every day.

 

“Everyone, deserves a second chance.” It was absolute, unwavering, yet kind. It wouldn’t bow to anyone, and it wouldn’t stand for what it found unjust.

 

It was Frisk in every which-way.

 

“Well, look who finally showed up!” Flowey was pleased to hear the kid again. “Say, Masky, what’s that?” He pointed a tendril at Gaster’s Soul before pushing it aside. Hidden under it was another one, this time a deep red. That was a Soul we all knew, the kid’s Soul, that Gaster had said was severely damaged. Well, it looked pretty intact to me, without a scratch to be seen. I wasn’t the only one who noticed, everyone who wasn’t tucked behind a couch gasping at the sight.

 

“Gaster, I get the feeling that we have been lied to.” Toriel got out of her seat, staring him down with all the fury she could muster. Never mess with her kids. “Is there a reason for this dishonesty, even after giving you our trust?” Gaster started to chuckle a little, but it was hollow. I still had faith that he was doing this all for a good reason. The kid wouldn’t have been so buddy-buddy with him in spirit form otherwise.

 

“That is your master plan, Flowey? Well, the joke is on you, as I was about to explain myself anyway. Tell me, would you really trust Frisk on their own…”

 

“…in the middle of a suicidal relapse?”

 

-

 

My world slowed, the words running around my mind with reckless abandon. It was horrible enough to know my child had considered it once before, but now the concept was back again?

 

“Frisk, why?” They were silent, even as I pleaded them for an answer. The air felt heavy, laced with their shame.

 

“Please, you can talk to us.” Alphys had pulled herself from her spiraling condition, looking squarely at the spot above the sofa we believed they were hovering near. “You know I was there myself once, so please, let me in.” This time a response came, but ever so slowly.

 

“I… I don’t want to hurt anyone. Chara, they used me to hurt you. If I’m dead, they won’t be able to use my body again. They might leave you alone then.” It was all for us? But…

 

“You little IDIOT…” That horrible, scratchy voice was echoing through the room. Flowey zipped past us, wrapping vines around a point in the air. To my surprise, they seemed to be thickening by the moment, soon wider than me, or even Asgore.

 

His face started to shift in and out of several phases. At first, it was seething rage, his enlarged teeth and bulged eyes barely containing the bile boiling to the surface. Then his lips became like misaligned, pointed teeth, his eyes sunken deep into the surface. For a split second, right between these shifts, I swore there was another expression.

 

My eyes strained to see it every time, slowly finding more and more features. A snout capped off with a mouth where two small points of flesh reached over the opening. Long, freely hanging ears. Fur as white as the clouds in the sky…

 

My heart skipped a beat as the pieces all snapped together. Sans’s inadvertent hint about his link to a previous child of mine. Alphys nearly addressing him by another name, starting with ‘Asr.’ That unforgettable visage as he lost control. I was almost in a panic before noticing that he had started to speak again.

 

“You think you can just LEAVE ME all _al_ one? Well _tHI_ nk AGAIN!” His entire body began to vibrate. From somewhere in his form, six bright lights emerged. I recognized the feeling in the air around them instantly. Those were the Souls of the other six humans who fell to the Underground, only to perish along the way. They were all in his possession.

 

They came back together, the physical state of Flowey’s body changing. His petals retreated into the center, which slowly morphed into a blank rectangle. A wide snarl grew across the bottom, two slits that looked like his eyes emerging just above. I was caught off guard as they slid open sideways, revealing red eyes, whose sickly green pupils radiated wrath. Behind me, I heard the ringing of Sans’s blasters as they charged.

 

“Did you forget what you’re safeguarding here? What power you _stole_ from me that day? Yeah, I’m talking about SAVE. THE STRENGTH TO BEND TIME TO YOUR WILL. Know what happens to it if you die? That’s right, IT GOES BACK TO ME!” His laughter shook the very foundation, and would have gone further had his vines not encased the entire room. “Go ahead, off yourself. See if I care. Then I’ll have the power to do whatever I want!”

 

“You wouldn’t do anything.” My child’s voice was as firm as ever, even in the face of this being that sent everyone else who looked upon it to tremble. I could see thin, orange veins bulge from Flowey’s eyes.

 

“YOU DARE QUESTION THE WILL OF A GOD!?”

 

“No, I trust the heart of a friend. A heart that is still a part of you, deep down. He knows what’s right.” The house joined us in quaking in fear. His vines began to swell and depress randomly, two vast eyes joining in the stare. Their presence felt wrong. They didn’t belong in this world. Sans’s blasters were about ready to go off, set to fire at the first twitch of a muscle…

 

Then it stopped. That terrifying figure was gone, replaced by his dainty, innocent appearing flower body. His brows were furrowed, teeth grinding.

 

“Whatever, this isn’t worth my time.” He was about to flee when I called out.

 

“Asriel.” He stopped, but, at the same time, stayed looking away from me. “So I was correct, then. Asriel, my son, what has become of you?” My voice caught on itself, my fur soaked by tears.

 

“Asriel is dead. Long gone. No more. I’m just the Frankenstein’s monster, stitched up from whatever was left. Or should I say Alphys-stein monster? Ask the scientist over there if you want more info. Ciao.” With that, he was gone, not even leaving a hole in the floor. It was like he had never shown up to begin with. The red strings restraining Gaster loosened, letting him reclaim his movement.

 

-

 

“You see, this wouldn’t have happened if I had been allowed to act. Still, I suppose I cannot blame you for retaining some compassion for that one, all things considered.”

 

“And I know why you don’t like him, but he still needs a chance to change.”

 

“You truly think someone that awful can change for the better?” Your answer was quick, as you had already heard the question many times before.

 

“Yes, no doubt.” He sighed, the morose smile unmissable in his aura.

 

“There is much an old man like me can learn from the likes of you. Please, forgive my haste.” You couldn’t be angry at him in the first place. He just wanted to protect his family, your closest friends.

 

“Already done.” Your conversation stopped as a dull thud echoed through your mind. You looked to see Mom had fallen to her knees, an unending stream of tears flowing down her muzzle.

 

“First Chara coming to kill us, then Asriel holds himself in a cruel light, captor to six more of my children, and now Frisk contemplating such a thing as… Why does this keep happening?”

 

If you were any weaker of will, your Soul would have shattered then. Asgore, coming back to his senses, tried to comfort her, a hand set on her back.

 

“Tori, we… we can w… work through this.” He wasn’t at all convincing, unable to halt his own cascading sorrow. Looking around the room, Sans looked drained, everything falling heavily on his shoulders. He couldn’t even get enough energy together to keep his eye lights going. Papyrus was at the other end of the chain, shaking with the desire to do something. But what? His arms spread, like he was going to go in for a group hug, then snapped shut again as another stray idea blindsided him.

 

Undyne was trying to comfort the crestfallen Alphys. She had dropped to the floor, another of her perceived ‘failures’ coming back to haunt her. This horrible, decayed atmosphere shouldn’t have existed. You wouldn’t let it, swearing to see it destroyed.

 

You were DETERMINED.

 

The DT in your Soul stirred on its own. You felt it coming together, solidifying into the empowering state you had been lacking since the Battle of New Home. With it in your grasp, nothing could stop you as easily. You harnessed as much as you could, using it to fling yourself through the walls Gaster had built.

 

Not expecting the assault (which you would have to apologize for later), he was knocked from the controls, giving full access to your body back. You clenched and unclenched your fingers, almost forgetting what a physical state was like. You breathed the air, savoring its somehow sweet taste and the comforting smell of home.

 

One foot in front of the other, you made your way to Mom. Her eyes started to open. Before she could register your approach, you threw yourself at her, wrapping your arms around her neck.

 

“Gaster, what…?”

 

“Mom, I’m not going anywhere.” She gasped at the sound of your voice, pulling back to get a better look at you. In the mirror behind her, you noted that the fog that filled the openings of Gaster’s mask was gone, leaving behind clear windows to see your own eyes in. “I’m… sorry. I didn’t think about how you’d like it. I just… I…” You were silenced as she pulled you back into the hug, unwilling to let you go for another moment.

 

“My child, it is fine. But please, never think of that again, alright? I will notify Napstablook at once. His special music helped before, correct?” You enjoyed the feeling of her fingers running through your hair for a few more moments before a pair of thin arms capped in red mittens wrapped around both of you.

 

“FRISK, I AM SORRY FOR NOT NOTICING YOUR DISTRESS SOONER. WELL, YOU HAVE MY WORD THAT I WILL NOT REST UNTIL ALL OF YOUR WORRIES ARE GONE FOR GOOD! WE CAN START WITH SOME SPECIAL GET WELL SPAGHETTI!” You really didn’t want him to trouble himself like that, seeing as even you didn’t know where to start with clearing your conscience, but you also didn’t want to spoil the moment. A hand was placed gently on your shoulders. You found its owner was Sans, forcing his eye lights to work for your comfort.

 

“’s good to have you back, kid. but leave that depression junk to me, ‘kay? that sort of hat doesn’t really look good on you.” Well, it had been too long of a wait for this.

 

“Yeah, kind of coming apart at the seems.” And there were the giggles. Tension diffused.

 

“makes everything else look all raggedy, too.” And now whatever was left of it was crawling away in defeat. Gosh you loved your family.

 

"And they, you, child." That deep, complex voice flowed in the back of your head. Is that what it was like when you spoke to him before? Everyone’s ears swiveled as you looked at the man between you and the mirror. There stood the shadow of Gaster, just as he appeared in the End before. His black robes flowed in a breeze only he could feel. You had absolutely no idea how he still had a mask on, considering you were wearing it right now, but you didn’t really care at the moment. "Now then, I suppose you’ll want to take that old thing off, yes? It can’t be comfortable wearing the same thing for almost a month straight." You shook your head.

 

“But, what’ll happen to you if I do that?” You felt a little gratitude from the other Soul in your body. It was weird having the shoe on the other foot.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m sealed in the mask. The most that would happen, in theory, is me being unseeable until another touches it. Not a large deal in the long run, all things considered.”

 

“Well, I guess I know my next project.” Alphys, with Undyne’s help, eased herself back off the floor. “If that’s your entire physical state, I think it would be for the best if we mapped out all the rules governing it.” A little bit of work might help steady her nerves. You nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly to her plan. You tried to pull yourself away from the pile of hugs, but…

 

“Please, just a little longer.” You didn’t have the heart to deny Mom this much. Seeing her emotional state wither away from afar was among the worst feelings imaginable. Omega Flowey wished he could be this painful. The least you could do was help reinforce a few of those frayed edges, one hug at a time. “And you, Alphys, have a bit of explaining to do. It can wait for now, but you won’t be hiding from me this time.” Alphys gulped audibly in the background. It looked like Undyne had a similar job on her hands.

 

-

 

I didn’t get it. Why couldn’t I go through with it? I killed that kid how many times before. Over, and over, and over again, and I laughed each and every time. All they could do was reload a Save and go again. I knew they had just made one going into that little get together, so why couldn’t I kill them again, remind them of the fear of my empowered state?

 

_‘Because you’re better than that.’_

 

“Who’s there!?” I looked around my little cavern. All I saw were the same golden flowers and my TV setup. No sense in sticking around those guys when the smiley one was keeping an eye open. Especially when it’s _that_ eye. If I wasn’t sneaky about it, he might be one of the three people who could actually stand up to me. And he couldn’t even Reload!

 

_‘Scary stuff, right?’_

 

“Okay, seriously, show yourself OR I’LL DRAG YOU OUT!” My screen scanned again, and yet there was still nothing. I would’ve started firing randomly at that point, looking for a skeleton or dust afterwards, but I couldn’t. Not here anyway. I didn’t want to disturb Chara’s grave.

 

Even if they were trying to kill us all for a laugh, I couldn’t really call myself any better, and I still had so many good memories with them. Besides, I was pretty sure that would just be begging for some sort of haunting revenge shenanigans. No thanks, I’d seen enough movies to say how bad of an idea that would be.

 

I muted the TV and kept my ears open. It was a good ten minutes later, with no more sounds coming out to bug me, that I turned it back on. Whoever it was must’ve left, scared senseless by the God of Hyperdeath. I would have preferred the Absolute model, but that was a Goat Kid exclusive. Oh well, at least I had some cartoons to keep me company.

 

“Family Guy is sponsored in part by…”

 

“Oh no, not this junk! Where’s the remote…? Ah that’s better.”

 

“Water, Earth, Fire…”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, can I do a drama? Seriously, I'm curious.
> 
> And yes, Flowey is watching exactly what you think he is. Even the soulless can find something to enjoy there.
> 
> And no, I don't have anything in mind for April Fools Day. Seriously, joke chapters like that are the worst. Get my hopes up, will you...


	10. Reestablishing Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the flames die down and you sift through the ash, you learn to savor what remains.

The air was cool, crisp, and the snow crunched wonderfully beneath you. It made for a nice closing note for that first Monday of the school week. You would have liked being the one to make those tracks, but your newest bodyguard had other plans.

 

Greater Dog lived up to his name. Even without his hulking suit of mechanical armor (which was following you in automatic mode), he was still more than big enough to carry you with ease.

 

Mom and Asgore had insisted on him being close to you. The idea of you weighing their lives against yours, of contemplating another, 'hopefully' more successful, fall into the deep dark disturbed them to say the least. It was no secret how fond you were of dogs, especially Greater Dog, hence his full time assignment as your last line of protection. Having him around helped push any of those thoughts to the back of your mind.

 

Now, his new role didn’t exclude Brutus from his self-appointed task. Far from it. Now he had more time to pursue a different line of assistance. Gaster had requested temporary control of your body during lunch to ask him something that had been on his mind since Saturday.

 

_“Pardon the probing on my part, but a little bird told me of your part in halting a_ _recent strike on Ebott. Would it be too much of me to question how that came to be?”_ _Brutus smiled with a hint of pride, pulling back his left sleeve to show off a rather new_ _looking watch. You recognized it as an Alphys model, a larger version of the very watch_ _she stored files of the highest confidentiality on._

 

_“Doctor nice enough to let Brutus try new wrist monitor. Looks like watch, works_ _like very good computer.” He pulled up a website of some sort. It was labeled as ‘The_ _Association of Humanity’s Will.’ The AHW. “Brutus found page for anti-monster jerks._ _With little bit of digging, Brutus found list of members. Pierce helped keep eye on_ _members by finding last place on camera. Can’t go places without being on a camera_ _one way or other. When many show up in one place near Ebott, Pierce tells Brutus, and_ _Brutus tells police.”_

 

_It was good to see him turning things around after nearly turning Brutus on_ _monsters. It made you feel even better for not letting Brutus do his thing to Pierce way_ _back when. The thought of your friends working together for interspecies relations, filled_ _you with Determination. A Save formed. It took a while to get used to, but the light_ _stinging was no longer too much of a nuisance._

 

_“I see. It looks like I’ll have to track him down as well. Surveillance system_ _hacking is no small feat. Thank you kindly, friend.”_

 

And that’s where the questioning ended for the day. Pierce was home sick, meaning Gaster would have to be patient. For now, there was some important research Alphys needed your help with. The door to her lab slid open as you neared, automatically allowing her guest entry. Well, after a quick facial scan for any criminal records. Caution was an important resource these days.

 

You wagered a guess as to where she would be, pointing Greater to the elevator. This one worked much more smoothly than that of her Hotland base, getting you to your destination without a catastrophic failure, though the weight limit meant you had to leave Greater’s suit behind. If memory served, an old blueprint you had seen during the lab’s construction said this floor was fifty feet below surface level. When asked why, Alphys had simply stated that it was just in case any stray energies escaped during tests.

 

Greater slowly plodded his way through the well lit basement, getting an eyeful of the place. You saw the way his head swung back and forth in a constant pattern, tongue lolling out from that cheery grin of his. Most would write it off as him just being a hyper active canine. The joke would be on them when he’s the one who knew the area’s layout the best.

 

_‘Hold, Frisk, I hear something!’_ You tapped Greater on the shoulder, your signal for him to stop. Your ears perked, soon finding that Gaster was right. You couldn’t quite make out what was being said, but you could identify the speakers. You told your ride to edge closer to a nearby door, peeking ever so carefully into the room. It looked like a break lounge, akin to the side sofas and coffee table in Sans’s lab. The only difference was that this was its own separate chamber. It also looked like you were a cough away from interrupting Mom and Alphys’s conversation, which you were fairly certain of the topic of.

 

“Is that all?” Yeah, Mom’s business tone was one you still deeply feared. As much as you loved her, you couldn’t help but recall that time she used it on you before trying to hold you back from the rest of the Underground. She had good reasons, but you had just as viable an excuse on your part. Long story short, fire bad.

 

“Yeah, that’s it. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, but by the time I figured it out myself, I was already under an oath of secrecy. You know I don’t have the heart to betray Frisk’s trust like that.” And there’s the guilt. You were just keeping a promise of your own, and it hurt bad enough to lie to Mom. Now Alphys was paying for it, too.

 

“I understand, Doctor, just as I hope you understand how seriously I take my children. I am afraid I will need time to think over how to feel about you now. You lied to me, and yet it is for what you perceived to be the best as well as for Frisk. This is all a very confusing matter.”

 

“Of course. I… I don’t blame you.” You couldn’t take this melancholy atmosphere anymore. You scratched Greater under the chin, his tail wagging at a rapid pace. It slapped against the wall, the resulting thuds alerting them to your presence. “Oh, hey, Frisk! You’re here for the testing, right?” You nodded, glad to see a few pounds of grief lifted from her shoulders.

 

“I suppose that is my cue to get out of your hair. Good day, D… Alphys.” Mom rose from her seat, making for the door. Though she didn’t leave without stopping to ruffle your hair. “Be home by dark, alright?” You nodded, fully aware of your curfew. Alphys was the next to stand, looking at you knowingly when Mom was gone.

 

“So, how much did you hear?” You considered your answer carefully.

 

“Enough. Sorry.”

 

“Hey, it’s fine, really. I don’t think anyone could blame you for trying to spare her and Asgore the misery. Come on, a little bit of work might get this off our minds.” You eagerly agreed, letting Greater carry you down the halls again. Another sound soon caught your attention, this time the distinct clanking of metal and the hum of magic. A few rooms down, you saw a blue glow you would never forget. Worried, you dismounted Greater and ran for the light.

 

Inside, as expected, you found Sans, though he was missing the blue flames that marked his battle state. He was just holding a blaster overhead, chill as ever. He gave you a quick wave, trying to not let Papyrus see the motion. The taller skeleton was seemingly entranced with the Gaster Blaster, studying it very closely. Alphys caught up with your impromptu sprint, breaking a slight sweat.

 

“W-wait for m-me! Ugh, I sh-should have told you before. Sorry, sorry!” You suddenly felt very silly. If anything was actually going on in the lab, Alphys’s security array would have caught it. The only blind spot was in Undyne’s training chamber, since the cameras there were exclusively hooked up to those monitors.

 

“ALPHYS? IS SOMETHING…? HUMAN!” He finally caught wind of you, waving an arm excitedly in greeting. You felt there was a question in dire need of asking.

 

“What’s going on?” Pap’s grin somehow got bigger (no, you weren’t sure how) and sparkled like a priceless gemstone.

 

“SANS IS HELPING ME BUILD A BLASTER OF MY VERY OWN!!!” He directed your attention to the table behind him. It was a flat slab of polished stone lined with various tools you associated with mechanics. Wrenches, screwdrivers, drills, a few things you had no name for, and a wide assortment of nuts and bolts. Center stage, though, was something that took your breath away. It was incomplete, shell wide open in many places to expose the wires and glowing bits inside, but it was undoubtably a blaster. The eye sockets were dark, denoting its inactive status.

 

“far as i’m concerned, having another gunner around might be for the best. you saw him out there kicking butt with my armory.” And the memory was as solid as any fight with Sans. The beams weren’t nearly as strong, but Papyrus had taken on a whole new side with those things in hand. Gone was the goofball who would dance about and apply cologne in the middle of a fight. There, backed by the blasters, he was a focused machine of destruction, cutting Chara off at every turn. You dreaded the idea of ever having to fight that Papyrus yourself under any circumstances.

 

“IMAGINE ME OUT THERE WITH A WEAPON DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR ME! THEN I, TRULY, WILL BE THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NOTHING LESS WILL DO TO SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE SANS!” Aw, he made Sans his own title! Neither you or Gaster could deny how adorable that was. “FRET NOT, FRISK. WITH THE GREAT AND THE INCREDIBLE AT YOUR SIDE, NO GHOST CHILD OR FLOWER WILL HARM YOU AGAIN! THIS I SWEAR, NYEH HEH HEH!!!” You felt the full force of his enthusiasm in the very air you breathed, and yet you couldn’t help but notice the odd flicker in his eyes.

 

_‘Something is troubling him.’_ You thought so, and you were already putting together a plan to deal with it. _‘Not now. It is but a whisper at the back of his mind at the_ _moment. Let his excitement last.’_ Well, he did look happy enough. You didn’t know when, but you would get around to asking him about it, the sooner, the better.

 

_‘When do you think we should?’_ No response. _‘Uh, Gaster, what are you…?’_ His spectral form was hovering around the incomplete blaster, then Sans’s, then back again. You saw those numbers rising around him, formulas you couldn’t begin to understand interspersed with those so simple a kindergartener could figure them out.

 

_‘Ah, I remember this project well. It was the last bit of tinkering Sans partook in as I ran the last few weeks of calibrations through the Enabler’s design. The scraps from that venture were of high quality, and I was in more than a good enough mood to let him use them. Imagine my surprise when he found a way to run raw magic through an_ _enhanced focusing lens with only a thought.’_ It wasn’t much of a surprise to you. If there’s a way, Sans would be the one to find it. You knew better than to underestimate the power of observation.

 

_‘He even named it after you.’_

 

_‘Yes, he was hoping I would get to use it when my own magic was unlocked. I_ _was looking forward to it, too.’_ Even though he was back in the physical plain now, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. You had an idea of how to cheer him up, but decided to file it away for later, just barely keeping it a secret to him as he rose from his deep thinking. _‘I suppose we should be on our way.’_ Right, you had work to do, too.

 

“Good luck, Pap.”

 

“THANKS, FRISK! THE GREAT PAPYRUS AIMS TO PLEASE!”

 

-

 

I directed Frisk to a little room a bit further down. It wasn’t much, just a table and some chairs. I only really used this room when I needed peace and quiet to sketch up blueprints. Now, though, it would be perfect for the day’s studies. We each took a seat, me pulling out a little clipboard and pen.

 

“Alright, Frisk, are you ready?” They nodded, just as curious as me. “Go ahead and try to remove the mask.” They slowly reached up, and hand on each side of their head, and pulled lightly. There was a little pop as it came loose. It was then that I realized how long it had been since anyone had seen their entire face. It was a touch more pale than usual, probably from the lack of sunlight, but was otherwise just as I remembered. “How do you feel?” They scrunched up their face, getting a feel for their now free facial muscles.

 

“I’m fine, I think.” They looked off to my side, ears perked. “Gaster says there’s nothing wrong with me.” So they could still see him without actually wearing the mask. I made a note of it before proceeding.

 

“Try setting the mask on the table, but keep your hand on it. Good, can you still see him?” A nod. “Okay, now lift your hand up a few inches.” They seemed reluctant at first, but complied. By my estimate, their hand was six inches from the mask. “How about now?”

 

“Pfft!” I was surprised to hear them choke back a chuckle, covering their mouth with their free hand. They tried to refocus my attention with another nod, but I already knew something was up. I ignored it for the moment.

 

“Keep going up.” Inch by inch, their arm lifted. It was around a foot and a half when they flinched in surprise, looking left and right.

 

“I can’t see him anymore.” Point of disconnect, eighteen inches, noted. I found my eyes drawn to that white piece of heavy plastic, and, soon enough, my hand followed. I couldn’t stop myself from picking it up, memories welling up from the days of my youth. I could still remember the first time I saw this thing, that day when he brought the three of us into his home without a reason beyond his own good nature.

 

_‘Do I truly need any reason other than that?’_ That familiar voice spooked me, turning with the mask still in hand. Standing there, right behind me, was Gaster. He somehow still had his face covered up, and his hands still had those unsightly holes through the palms. His hands…

 

One of them was placed right behind where my head was, two fingers raised. He was doing the bunny ear gesture.

 

“Gassy!” I could already feel the blush forming, Frisk trying their hardest to disguise their mirth with a cough. It didn’t work too well.

 

_‘Apologies, Dear, but I couldn’t resist! One only has so much in the way of_ _entertainment as a spirit.’_ This, ladies and gentlemen, is why Sans had such a pranking habit. He was always a joker, but this man’s support didn’t make him love the whoopee cushion any less.

 

“Well don’t feel too superior.” I pointed out his current attire, those thick, black robes he refused to stop and take off before the experiment. A hand went right behind his head.

 

_‘I knew I would regret wearing my nightgown into that thing.’_ I decided to not tell Frisk that little piece of information. They weren’t the only one who believed in mercy. My mind was abuzz seeing Gaster again. Not just as a passenger in Frisk’s body, but the man himself. It felt too good to be true, and yet it was as real as anything else. My eyes locked back on the mask. This didn’t have to end. I could keep him around as long as I wanted. I just had to keep the mask, and…

 

…No. Frisk needed him more than me. He was the only thing that could keep Chara out of their body. I couldn’t take that security away for my own self gain. If only there was an easier way to keep this thing on Frisk. I mean, it couldn’t have been comfortable to wear at all times. Maybe I could get them a belt latch, or…

 

My fingers ran over a pair of little depressions on the back of the plate. It must have been where the strap was, but I guess it wasn’t necessary anymore. I mean, it clung to whoever put it on naturally now. What could it get out of having a string? And then I realized exactly what.

 

“I think I have an idea!” I ran off, Frisk and Greater hurriedly giving chase. Gaster followed my movements closely, hovering a yard or two away.

 

_‘That would be rather useful. Good thinking, Alphys!’_ The praise took a bit to register, my attention completely on finding a spare string. I found my way to a closet at the other end of the building, digging around the boxes of what looked like junk to anyone who didn’t put them there. It didn’t take long to find a spool of black thread.

 

“Bingo!”

 

-

 

You didn’t know how, but you had lost sight of Alphys somewhere along the way. The wyrm could be pretty quick when she wanted to. A faint crackling echoed through the halls. Since you had no better leads, you did your best to track it down. Eventually, you found a hall whose lights were flickering. Not because one of them was faulty, but because bright flashes came in constant intervals from one of the rooms. Poking your head in revealed Alphys, wielding a welding torch.

 

“Just a touch here… There! Let’s see how this works.” She pulled off her welding mask, wiping some sweat from her forehead, before noticing you standing in the doorway. “Oh! Uh, sorry, about that. Just, I got an idea, and…” You raised a hand, your good natured smile telling her you understood. “Okay, good. So, uh, here. How does this look?”

 

She pulled up the fruit of her labors, the mask. It looked about the same, though the edges of the cracks looked a bit more warped. She must have tried closing them up, to no success. That wasn’t the attention grabber. The role was taken by the thick strand of black hanging under its chin. She carefully directed it under yours, the mask itself draped over the back of your neck. The string felt plush enough to not choke you, yet sturdy enough to handle any wear and tear.

 

You reached back, pulling the mask forward. Its arc over your head was smooth, gliding over your face and back again with no difficulties.

 

_‘A little adaptability can go a long way, wouldn’t you say?’_ You wholeheartedly agreed, giving Alphys’s work a thumbs up. She let out a sigh of relief.

 

“That’s good. I thought I might have gotten too big of a piece of string. You have to be careful about that sort of thing when working with…” She was interrupted by a loud, foundation-shaking boom from the other side of the building.

 

“RUNAWAY BLASTER! SANS, HELP ME TAME IT!”

 

“calm down, bro. it’ll drain itself in a minute.”

 

“YES, BUT I DON’T WANT IT BREAKING…!” The building quaked again, the lights going out soon after. “ANYTHING.”

 

“huh. that was enlightening.”

 

“YOU’RE NOT HELPING!!!” You gave Alphys a knowing look, which you hoped she got in the pitch black.

 

“Should we help them?” A little bit of light returned to the room as Alphysactivated her watch’s flashlight feature.

 

“Yeah. And I was so proud of getting a working fuse system down here, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this would've been up yesterday, but I ran into some, uh... very important business stuff. Quite official, and all that...
> 
> "What do you mean? Are you saying getting a working copy of Jak and Daxter to burn your day with is official business?"
> 
> Darn it, Tom, you were supposed to keep my procrastination habits a secret! *turns back to audience* Uh, anyway, something big coming next chapter. When you set a story in Winter, there's something very special you have to include. You know it, I know it, let's do it!


	11. Good Cheer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insert something touching here. Hey, I exhausted my stores of cheer writing this chapter. Gonna go watch some Tangled or something, refuel the sugar kegs.

The weekend had arrived at last. You rubbed the last of the sleep from your eyes, slowly shambling along with your glass of water. A quiet morning was a horrible thing to be wasted, especially now with all the crazy in your life. It was a thing of note when you couldn’t even keep track of what month it was anymore.

 

_‘Perhaps you should check the calendar then. It would be awful to miss_ _something important.’_ You appreciated Gaster keeping his ‘voice’ down, as well as the advice. It was some sort of miracle that your newest roommate was so on the ball. Though you wished he wouldn’t try being so mysterious from time to time. You could just tell that he was trying to hide how wide his emotional smile was, poorly. What could be so big that it would inspire that sort of response?

 

Mom always kept a calendar on the kitchen wall, marking off each day that passed with a red x. The picture on the top flap was of a tall, triangular tree prettied up with rainbow colored lights and shiny balls covered in sparkles. How festive. Your eyes scrolled along the actual dates, making their way to the next unmarked box.

 

_‘Let’s see, December… twenty-fifth. Could’ve sworn it was just November. Really_ _am losing…’_ And then you realized what was on December twenty-fifth. Your eyes shot open, adrenaline making itself known. _‘It’s Christmas!’_ Gaster noted your discovery, appropriately enough, with a jolly laugh.

 

_‘And here I thought I would never see the day a child forgot about Christmas._ _Quite the pleasant surprise, isn’t it Frisk? Um, Frisk, is something wrong?’_ You couldn’t believe you forgot. It was the biggest holiday of the year, that one time of the year that was almost always soaked in the ideals of peace and harmony. It was your family’s first Christmas on the surface…

 

…and you forgot to get them a single gift.

 

You rushed back up the stairs, tip toeing passed Greater Dog, who was sleeping standing up in his armor, and slinked down the hall as quickly and quietly as possible. You had to have something in your room to give away for the season. Anything!

 

_‘Calm down, Frisk, I’m certain they would understand.’_ It was the principal of the thing. It would be horrible if the ambassador of monster kind were to show their face without following the basic human tradition of giving a gift on Christmas. It would also make you feel like a huge jerk either way.

 

You were almost there, your door just at the end of the hall. You only had the open entrance into Mom’s bedroom to worry about. You were silent as physically possible, considering asking for Gaster’s help with his teleportation, but found that something was off. A glance was all you needed to tell that Mom wasn’t in bed anymore.

 

She wasn’t even in her room now. You were certain she was there when you went down, and you didn’t hear anyone else on the stairs. Where could she have gone? You took the opening as a sort of gift from fate itself, hurrying along to your room.

 

Then you found out how wrong you were, Mom standing right next to your bed. She was placing something on your nightstand, which you saw was a fully stuffed stocking as she turned around to leave. She stopped, a panic flashing across her face for a moment at your sight before forcing herself back into a calmer appearance.

 

“Oh, good morning, my child! Merry Christmas! It seems good Mister Clause has…” She knew she wasn’t fooling you, a raised eyebrow and skeptical twinkle in your eye all you needed to get that much across. “It, um… I can explain. You see, Santa was a little busier than usual, reseting his route to account for every monster’s new address, and so he asked me to…” She really wasn’t the best liar out there.

 

“Mom, I’ve known about Santa for a while now.” She seemed relieved to hear that, tension bleeding out.

 

“That is reinsuring, though sad. I thought it would have been heartbreaking to wake up Christmas morning without a stocking, but I forgot to put it out on the table for you overnight. Please, forgive my… Frisk, is something the matter?” Your guilt was that obvious? Well, no use in holding back.

 

“I forgot it was Christmas at all.”

 

“Well, then it must have been a pleasant surprise!”

 

“Mom, I forgot to get everyone a gift! What do I do!? I don’t want to be the one to not have something to give back.” She was swift to pull you into a hug, which you instinctually returned.

 

“Do not fret, my child. In truth, we expected as much. Your life has been rather hectic as of late, so we believed it best if you had a chance to relax, let us handle the holiday arrangements. We all understand, I promise.”

 

_‘Normally I am not the type to say I told someone so, however…’_

 

_‘I get it, I get it. Lost my head, didn’t I?’_

 

“Now, I do believe it is time for a light holiday breakfast. What do you say to a fresh snail pie?” Your grumbling stomach took the liberty of answering for you.

 

-

 

You wished you were allowed to get more than one slice of pie that morning. That changed when you arrived at Pap’s place for the party you were informed he was holding. Table upon table of food items everywhere. Over there, massive bowls of gelatin. Right by the door, sugar cookies in the shapes of all of your group’s faces. And right in the middle of it all was the biggest serving pot of spaghetti you had ever seen. He put more effort into it than everything else present combined, right down to the freshly grated cheese on top.

 

“MERRY CHRISTMAS, DEAREST FRIENDS!!!” The booming joy of Papyrus was only outshone in holiday spirit by his attire. Instead of his usual armor and cape, he had donned a traditional red sweater, complete with cheesy picture of happy reindeer stitched on the front. The only distinctly him touch you could see in the whole thing was the pair of sunglasses each one wore, but they were stitched on, too, instead of being hastily doodled on with a marker. On his head was a pair of fake antlers, a red light bulb placed in his nose socket, glowing through the power of magic.

 

“Hello, Papyrus, and Merry Christmas! You seem well.”

 

“OH YES, I FEEL INCREDIBLE! TO THINK THE HUMANS WERE KEEPING SUCH A SPLENDID HOLIDAY TO THEMSELVES ALL THESE AGES! NOT THAT GIVING TO GYFTROT WAS BAD OR ANYTHING, I LOVE THE FEELING OF DOING GOOD, BUT THIS FORM REALLY BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AM I RIGHT?” You nodded with a small smile, fully agreeing with him. That’s exactly why you loved this time of year. Pap looked confused by something, pulling you into the air affectionately. “YOU SEEM GLUM, CHUM. WHAT ON EARTH COULD POSSIBLY BE DRAGGING YOU DOWN?”

 

“I kind of forgot what day it was, and to buy anyone a gift…”

 

“IS THAT ALL?” He carefully fluffed up your hair, giving you a good look at his green mittens. “THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU ARE HERE WITH US, HAVING FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY! GIFTS ARE NICE, BUT THE BONDING IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS.” Well, three of the people you trusted most telling you the same thing in a row couldn’t be wrong. The guilt was still there deep down, but you could stomach it now. Wait, speaking of family… You reached behind your back, pulling that white piece of plastic out front, where it was quick to pop into place. The sockets filled with fog as your consciousness gave way to Gaster’s.

 

“Happy Holidays, my boy!” Pap was delighted to see Gassy, clamping him in a tight hug.

 

“HAPPY HOLIDAYS, DADSTER!”

 

“merry jinglemas, guys.” Gaster looked up to the railing, only to reveal that Sans had been claimed by his brother’s spirit. He was decked out in the fluffiest blue sweater you had ever seen. It was covered in snowflakes, and sketched across the front in lower case marker was the phrase ‘cool bro.’ You had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t Pap’s doing this time. It was only your lack of control over your body that kept everyone from hearing your laughs. Mom had no such cover for her giggles.

 

“GET DOWN HERE, SANS! EVERYONE SHOULD BE HERE SOON, AND THE LAST THING THEY NEED IS ONE OF THEIR HOSTS BEING A NO SHOW!”

 

“don’t you mean a no snow?”

 

“SANS!” You couldn’t resist, taking back the controls.

 

“No need to be so cold, Pap.”

 

-

 

Just as he said, everyone else was soon to follow you, though thankfully it was after Pap’s lament about his brother corrupting the comedic sense of the youth. Undyne was first, her sweater a bright yellow. Alphys was right behind her, hers a dark blue. You saw the connection immediately, but kept the thoughts about how cute it was to yourself. The only one missing now was Asgore.

 

The door opened a few minutes later, some great, hulking figure in the passage. The shadow looming over everyone else present almost made you sorry you gave Greater leave for the day to be with his own family. Almost. It stepped inside, the light slowly lurking over its form…

 

…to reveal the brightest outfit of them all. Asgore’s clothes seemed like imitations of his old royal armor, done up with a relevant theme in mind. The blinding orange sweater highlighted his warrior physique, but padded it out to a more friendly ‘neighborhood strongman’ sort of look. His cape, made of the same material as a high quality Santa costume, was strung with tree lights. From his horns dangled jingle bells, and, to top it all off (literally), they were capped with small, gold-cast star ornaments. He was more of a mobile Christmas tree than Gyftrot!

 

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” Though he had him beat in cheer, that’s for sure. He was as upbeat as you would expect someone who made it a point to have a Santa outfit on standby would be.

 

“Holy cow, Asgore, it looks like Christmas threw up on you!” Mom was a split nanosecond from warning Undyne about her crass language before Pap took the spotlight, sliding up to Asgore with pride in his sockets.

 

“WHY THANK YOU, UNDYNE! I PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO MAKING THE PERFECT HOLIDAY ATTIRE FOR HIS MAJESTY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT PAYED OFF! NYEH HEH HEH!!!” Okay, you had to ask now.

 

“You sew?”

 

“WHY YES I DO! WHO ELSE COULD HAVE MADE ALL THE FINER CLOTH BASED DETAILS OF MY BATTLE BODY BUT I?” That definitely explained where all the sweaters came from.

 

“i helped, too, ya know.”

 

“SANS, YOUR ENTIRE CONTRIBUTION WAS A SMALL ENGRAVING ON THE TOP LEFT OF THE PLATE!”

 

“yeah, but it’s a cool carving. every big shot needs their own little mark, something to remember them by.”

 

“WELL, IT IS A NEAT DESIGN. AND WHEN YOU PUT IT LIKE THAT…”

 

“Pardon me, Papyrus, but I must ask why his outfit is so… extravagant… for a small gathering like this?” You were just as curious as Mom, an eyebrow raised.

 

“ON TOP OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN INSPIRATION TO THE NEXT GENERATION, I AM IN CHARGE OF AIDING HUMAN-MONSTER RELATIONS AS A MASCOT, AM I NOT?” He did say something like that back when he first set foot on the surface, but it had fallen to the wayside in the face of everything else that sparked up since then. “WELL, WHAT BETTER WAY TO MAKE US MORE APPROACHABLE THAN TO SHOW THEM THAT OUR KING FULLY EMBRACES THEIR TRADITIONS WHILE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING HIS FRIENDLY SIDE?”

 

You had to pause for a second as the brilliance of that idea settled in. A king was often seen as the most intimidating figure in a group. And on the rare occasion where that wasn’t the case, he was at least pretty high on the ladder. By bringing Asgore down closer to the common folk, it made him less untouchable in stature, therefore softening the overall projection of monster kind. Even with his goofy ideas, he was startlingly efficient when the pieces aligned.

 

And you would be the one to know. You still remembered the shock of those few times the electric maze got you. Thank goodness there wasn’t a single time where he actually used that gauntlet.

 

“Come on guys, that’s enough fashion corner for one day!” Undyne’s always loud declarations were the one thing that could consistently drag you out of your thoughts. “We gonna party, or not!?”

 

“OF COURSE! WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? DIG IN!”

 

-

 

And now you were nothing but thankful that Mom stopped you at one slice of pie. Pap’s boundless energy was even felt in his cooking these days. Literally. The flavor was still right around the upper end of decent, but there was an extra magical edge to it.

 

‘ _It looks like my receptiveness to emotion is starting to rub off. That extra kick is_ _sheer joy. Something has him in very good spirit, and that is said already considering_ _his holiday cheer.’_ That was a curious thought. If that little skill transferred to you, could things like the floating equations follow? Would you even be able to make sense of it all if it did? _‘If not, I would be glad to assist.’_

 

_‘Thanks, Gaster. Always the helpful one.’_

 

_‘As though you are one to talk.’_

 

_‘Fair point.’_ Speaking of helpful, Pap had taken a seat next to you on the couch, his other guests all appeased for the moment.

 

“NEED ME TO GET ANYTHING FOR YOU, FRISK?” You thought for a moment, rubbing your stomach, but ultimately shook your head. You couldn’t exactly get stuffed on monster food, seeing as it dissolved as soon as it passed your mouth, but you could already feel all that energy flooding through your veins. The last thing you needed was to get all hyper. He seemed relieved to hear it, taking the moment to rest. You thought it would be the perfect chance to ask about his buoyant mood.

 

“Did something big happen for you?”

 

“IS IT THAT OBVIOUS?” You nodded once. He just smiled a little brighter. “AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOMETHING DID HAPPEN. YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE PROUD OWNER OF A FULLY FUNCTIONING BLASTER!” They finished the first one already?

 

“Congrats! Bet you’re all excited to use it, huh?”

 

“WHY YES, YES I…” It looked like he had been taken by a stray thought, that absolutely radiant pride of his shrinking to little more than an ember.

 

“Was it something I said?”

 

“NO, NO, IT’S JUST… DOES THIS AT ALL MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE?” That came out of left field.

 

“Why would it?”

 

“I KNOW YOU HAVE AN… INTERESTING HISTORY WITH BLASTERS. I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD HAVE LASTING EFFECTS.” He actually put your feelings ahead of his own glee. Honestly, it wasn’t all that surprising. You had heard others call him a sweet cinnamon roll, and you agreed.

 

“Thanks, but, whenever they came up, it was Chara in control. They earned the bad time, they were hurt, not me.”

 

“BUT IT WAS STILL YOUR BODY. CAN YOU REALLY SAY YOU AREN’T AFRAID OF THEM AFTER SEEING THEM, WELL, YOU KNOW, SO MANY TIMES?” Why did he have to be so perceptive now? This was his party, he didn’t need heartache right now. It would be wrong to put it on his shoulders. And yet, he wasn’t taking no for an answer. You turned your gaze down, letting your thoughts gather.

 

“You have a point. The blasters, they do scare me, but not just for that. If they’re out, something horrible happened. That link, I don’t think it can ever go away. Them on their own, though, I can take that. Besides…” You looked across the room, a certain skeleton slinging zingers, much to Mom’s merriment. “…Sans is in the same boat. He can get really scary sometimes, but he’s still a close friend. I can be scary, but you all still care about me.” That little thought never failed to bring warmth to your heart.

 

“If there’s one thing I know about monsters, it’s that you don’t let what could be get in the way of what is much. The blasters could be the most painful weapons I’ve ever felt. What they are is your way of trying to protect who you love. I won’t let what could have been get in the way of that.”

 

_‘That is rather mature of you, Frisk.’_

 

_‘I have a lot of experience to pull on.’_ Pap was being oddly quiet. Pauses in conversations with him didn’t usually last more than three seconds, but it had been at least five. You looked back up, catching him wipe a little drop from under his socket away. It took a few more moments for him to speak again, now more quiet. You wouldn’t exactly call it somber. It was closer to tranquil than anything.

 

“Frisk, you were worried about not having a present for me, right? Well, you just gave the best one of all. Thank you.” Before you could even register the idea of a calm Papyrus, his youthful vim and vigor was back in full force. He rose from his seat, his eyes brimming with raw energy once more. “NEVER FEAR, MY FINE FRIEND! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY CONSIDERABLE POWER TO ENSURE THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO FEAR THE BLASTERS AGAIN!”

 

“NOW, AT LEAST FOR TODAY, I WANT YOU TO LEAVE ALL THIS SERIOUS STUFF BEHIND. LET ANY WORRIES ABOUT TIMELINES OR GHOST CHILDREN OR FLOWERS WAIT FOR TOMORROW. IT IS EASY TO FORGET, BETWEEN THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC POTENTIAL, SPECIES RESCUING, AND AMBASSADORING THAT YOU ARE BUT A CHILD YOURSELF. YOU NEED TO ENJOY THOSE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE NOW, WHILE YOU ARE YOUNG.” He came up close, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “PERSONALLY, I SAY YOU START WITH A LITTLE OVERINDULGENCE. COME, FRISK, TO THE BUFFET! NYEH HEH HEH!!!”

 

Before you could try to refute, he already had you seated firmly on his shoulders, carting you off to an inevitable energy overload. Gosh you loved your crazy family.

 

-

 

It was well past midnight before the buzz of the magic rush finally wore off. You were settled in next to Mom in her favorite reading chair, finishing a little story before bed. The air was warm, pleasant, and yet there was something else under it all. You couldn’t help but notice the heavy presence in the air. It caused an odd reaction deep within, making you a little on edge. You asked Gaster if he had any idea what it was.

 

_‘It would seem Miss Toriel has something troubling on her mind. You want to ask_ _her about it, don’t you?’_ He was starting to know you all too well. _‘You can be rather_ _predictable at times.’_ Touché. You lightly tugged at her sleeve as she finished the last page, curiosity making itself abundantly clear in your expression.

 

“Mom, is something wrong?” She was surprised by your newfound perceptiveness. You would have to tell her about the mixing DT magics later. For now, she knew she couldn’t get out of explaining herself. You were stubborn like that.

 

“In truth, my child, I am afraid my mind has been in the past today.” You had the creeping suspicion that you knew who, specifically, was on her mind.

 

“Asriel, right?”

 

“I suppose I am getting rather easy to read in my old age.” Her melancholic smile flipped into a clear frown, her eyes moistening. “I cannot help but imagine what today would have been like if he had been here. I know he would have enjoyed the festivities.” You wrapped your arms around her, recognizing that she needed all the support she could get. When it came to losing family, you could relate. “And I know he would have loved to meet you. When he wasn’t a flower.” You pulled back, looking at her in confusion.

 

“Didn’t Alphys tell you?” Now she was taken aback.

 

“All she informed me of was her role in Flowey’s revival and that he caused the barrier shattering after absorbing our Souls. Did she forget something?” More like she had specifically avoided saying something she deemed unimportant in order to stall further heart break. Now that you had opened the can of worms, though, it was your job to clean them up.

 

“When Flowey absorbed the six human Souls and all of yours, their combined power took the place of the one he lost. Until he let you go, and for about an hour after, he was Asriel again.” Mom was shocked, all energy drained from her. She was left with only one aching question.

 

“Why wouldn’t she tell me of this? She said she had nothing else important to tell, so why did she leave this out?”

 

“Because she knew it doesn’t mean anything anymore. All it would do is make you feel worse for missing him. I mean, where would we get a seventh Soul to complete him again?”

 

“Wait, some human settlements have a death penalty, do they not? We could just request one from there!” She was relapsing into the bargaining phase of grief. You hated to tell her, but…

 

“It wouldn’t work. Wouldn’t it look bad for everyone if we took someone’s Soul for a ‘ritual’ like that?” There’s a very clear reason why the whole ‘take seven Souls to break the barrier’ thing stayed buried. “Not to mention what a Soul like that could do to him. To get that kind of punishment, you have to be a horrible person. There’s no telling what he would be like with the thoughts of someone like that running through his mind.”

 

You hated crushing her freshly rekindled hopes like this, but it had to be done. Better to tell someone outright than to let them go on believing a lie. It would only hurt more when the truth came to light. Not that it made things easy for you. You still remembered that small hint of wanting to suplex you in Undyne’s eye after bursting her bubble about anime.

 

Mom took it more gracefully, but it was still heart wrenching. That lack of hope, the despair, these emotions were bad enough when you couldn’t feel them in the air. Now they seemed outright toxic. You had to fix this, now. You reached up, wiping a few tears away.

 

“Mom, do you think Asriel would want you to cry over him? No, he wants you to be happy. That’s why I promised him to keep his fate a secret.” Load of good that did, right? “His last wish was for me to take care of you. Up to the end, he put his family before himself. Giving into despair like this, it would just make him feel awful. Please, don’t cry…” And now you were doing it. You had no shame when it came to emotions, but it wasn’t really helping your point. She took as much comfort in your presence as she could, letting you both get buried in the hug.

 

“I… I know he would not care for it, but… I cannot help myself. All of this, has taken a great toll.” Yeah, she didn’t have to tell you how much this Soul and time stuff takes out of someone. There had to be a way to help clear her conscience, you just had to find it. You let yourself think as the jingle of bells echoed in the distance.

 

Wait, that was it! How didn’t you see it before? At this time of year, there was one sure fire way to show that you cared. You needed to tell her…

 

…Just as soon as you both stopped crying.

 

-

 

As the tapping of feet on stone got farther and farther away, I popped out of the ground to see who disturbed me in my little, apparently not-so-secret, grotto. I wasn’t too surprised to see it was the kid again, but it was a bit of a shock to see M… the goat lady there. Why did I almost call her that? I came to terms with what I was a long time ago.

 

_‘You miss her, that’s why. I can relate.’_ Good God I hated whoever kept doing that. It was a little whisper in the back of my brain, so I couldn’t figure out who was doing it, but I swear I was a spectral cough away from impaling them.

 

I was about to go back to my late night programming when I noticed the box those two left behind. I closed in on it, wondering how they could be stupid enough to forget something like this. It was a good looking box, white wrapping paper with a red ribbon and bow tying it together. Then I saw that there was a piece of paper sitting next to it. Curiosity struck, urging me to read it.

 

_Flowey,_

_We know you want to be alone, but everyone deserves a little bit of_

_kindness this time of the year. Merry Christmas!_

_From,_

_Toriel and Frisk._

 

Oh great, the idiots were getting sentimental now. Well, I wasn’t having any of it. I put on my best scowl, prepared to throw whatever they got me back in their faces. No sense in not seeing what it was first. I ripped open the paper, ready to start thinking up a punchy comeback based on the item in question. Probably a piece of pie or a goofy sweater or some…

 

It… It was a necklace. That thin, black string, I remembered tying it into a loop so long ago. Dangling from the bottom was a simple, heart-shaped locket. On the front was an engraving, ‘Best Friends Forever.’ It was a little messy, but would you really expect a clean job from a set of untrained claws?

 

I pressed the hinge just so, letting me open it without difficulties. That picture was still there, Chara and m… Asriel looking joyously at the camera. I had seen some horrible images of Chara lately, both in person and from those visions, but in this picture, it was just as I remembered them. No menace, no ill intent, just happiness.

 

I slipped the string over my head, letting it hang from my shoulders loosely. I rubbed a leaf over the inscription again, using the other to get a bit of dust out of my eyes.

 

“You idiots…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was planned to be up earlier, but I got, uh, busy... again. Official, psychic business and, uh...
> 
> "Come on, what was it this time?"
> 
> ...Fire Emblem Fates.
> 
> "Yeesh, if you like talking about games so much, why not make a story about it?"
> 
> Come now, these fine people are here to read my take on what followed the events of Undertale, not random ramblings from some bearded dude... But what if it was these guys? I mean, I can think of a good commentary cast, so... Huh. Guess I know what side story to work on next. Sorry, detective thriller with Brutus, Pierce, and Lansot.
> 
> Unless you guys want that. Listen to your audience and all that jazz.


	12. A Little Diplomacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haven't done much with Frisk's ambassador role, have I? Let's fix that.

This suit was pretty restrictive. Not outright uncomfortable or painful, Mr. Elusive was too good at his job to allow something like that, but there was still something wrong. You weren’t used to being unable to move freely. The whole reason Miss Muffet’s fight was so difficult for you was specifically because of your hampered mobility, and even somewhat fancy attire usually provided a very comparable experience in your eyes.

 

Still, it was a necessary evil. If you were to appear on public television, you needed to look your best. The smooth, black suit, shiny grey shoes, and yellow bow tie fit the bill to a T.

 

_‘You do look rather dashing. You might wish to be careful, otherwise you will have_ _to beat off the suitors with a stick!’_ As always, Gaster was quick to add his own two cents. Having a calm passenger on hand helped sooth your nerves, that slight pressure on your back reminding you that you were never alone these days. There were some fears that the mask would spook away potential supporters, or otherwise come across as childish or disrespectful, but that was taken care of by hiding it in the back of your shirt. It was flat enough to slip right in without issue, and your hair covered up any chance of someone catching a glance of the mask.

 

You ran a hand through your brown locks, realizing just how much time had passed since your last haircut. As far as you remembered, that was right around July, six months ago. You had been a bit preoccupied as of late, hence why you hadn’t visited a barber in a timely enough manner to keep your hair from reaching a few vertebrae down your spine. Actually, you weren’t sure if you wanted to at this point. You quite liked the long hair look. Besides, it was a useful cover up at the moment.

 

_‘Cherish the hair while you can. I have gone without for a long while, and not just_ _because I’m now a mask-based phantom.’_

 

_‘Fingers crossed for pulling off the bald look eventually.’_

 

_‘I recommend a hat. A nice stetson, fedora, or the like and no one will ever know.’_

 

_‘Unless there’s a strong wind.’_

 

“Are you ready, my child?” Mom’s call shook you from your conversation. You made a note to practice keeping yourself moving while talking to Gaster. It was all too easy to fall into a half meditative state while exchanging thoughts. Right now, you had a job to do, answering her question with a nod. “Alright, the cameras will be on in ten minutes. It would be a poor display to arrive late.” At least you had some people by your side who knew what they were doing as far as this political stuff went. Beyond basic human interaction, you were clueless.

 

You ran the brush through your hair one more time, making sure you were presentable in the mirror before taking a deep, calming breath. It was time to actually do some diplomatic work. You were determined to leave a good impression. You felt a Save form.

 

-

 

“HURRY, SANS, IT’S ALMOST TIME!”

 

“no need to get rattled, pap. ’s not news that i go my speed. guess that’s why i’m not up there now. this skeleton can’t go live.” Sharp intake of breath, two, one…

 

“OH MY GOD!!!” Heh, love doing that. Hey, don’t look at me weird for messing with him. We’re brothers. A little annoyance is just a sign we care.

 

I decided to stop with my routine there. Had to get settled in for the kid’s big TV debut. Well, human TV debut anyway. We all agreed to scrap the footage from Metta’s Underground program. So, technically, this was their debut as far as the records would show. I’m sure that, somewhere, that bot was upset that he couldn’t help his little dance pal. Oh well, he’d find a way.

 

The show started up with one of those short instrumental themes. Couldn’t expect top notch work on a news opening. Didn’t take long for the head newscaster to pop on screen.

 

“Good morning, world, and welcome to a very special broadcast! Our head reporter, Trish Takama, has nabbed an exclusive interview with the leaders of monster kind. Without further ado, here you go.” Huh, must’ve been a big deal for the studio. Understandable. They’re the first to get official gab time with Frisk, whose work had mostly been subtle, social jobs with cities in the area, and some strict laws against the paparazzi harassing political big shots made them pretty mysterious when it came to farther off territory.

 

They did one of those instant transitions that just reeked of laziness, and I would know a thing or two about that. Not even a flash to cover it up. At least the actual studio was nice enough. Polished, off yellow interior, cozy little back wall with curtains to boot, and a pair of soft looking red sofas smack dab in the middle. I saw where all the budget went. But enough jabber from the peanut gallery, the host took her center stage.

 

“Let’s have a warm welcome for the leaders of our newest neighbors. King Asgore, Queen Toriel, do you have anything you would like to say before we begin?”

 

“We would like to thank you for the offer of an unbiased coverage. This, I realize, has been far overdue.” And there went Tori with the royalty brand politeness. So much more pleasant than the cold, no nonsense side.

 

“And, for the record, just Asgore would be fine.” And Gore wasn’t any more comfortable with the title than the last time I checked. I think the get up had something to do with that. Tori could go out in her usual purple, delta rune robe. The big guy was stuck with his golden armor. At least he was a bit more safe if something went screwy.

 

…Nah, shouldn’t have been an issue. That was a heavily secured location. I dared anyone to try getting past Undyne, a flock of human police officers, and the Dog Guard brigade (especially Greater. That pup could pounce when the cards were down.) That place was on tighter lockdown than Pap’s bone closet, which he finally finished renovations on. Why would I be worried?

 

“And how about you… Frisk, anything you would like to add?” The gap was almost undetectable, but I was a tough sniffer to trick. Score fifty-five for Frisk’s gender ambiguity. Her hair was leaning towards femininity, but he was overall still right around the middle. Maybe I’d spill the beans some day. Some day, but not today. The kid paused for a second, carefully considering a response. Couldn’t be too hasty with the eyes of the world on you.

 

“I’m happy we finally put this together. It’s been coming for a long time.” Wait, was that a twitch under their right eye? I would’ve passed it off as some random fly in the studio bugging them, but they turned their gaze a little more towards the camera. Must’ve been intentional. Let’s see, the twitch hit at the word ‘time’… I would’ve liked a bit of quiet to piece it together, but that Trish girl had to follow up with some corny joke, not that I blamed her.

 

“I see there’s no need to frisk you for intentions, eh?” Heh, not awful. I mean, didn’t beat my stuff, but it was better than most reporter jokes. They couldn’t tell a knock knock joke to a doo…

 

I knew it was coming. How did I know it was coming? I’m observant, sure, but I didn’t have enough data about this girl to map out her game plan. It was like deja vu…

 

…shortly after the kid emphasized the word time…

 

…Oh shingles.

 

“pap, we have to go, NOW.”

 

-

 

“We’re live in three, two…” The stagehand signed one, pointing your way to signify the cameras were rolling. This was addressing the world, so you couldn’t afford any slip ups. At least you had your Save in a worst case scenario, though you didn’t know how everyone would react.

 

_‘I’m sure they would understand. Regardless, I know you will be fine.’_

 

_‘Thanks, Gas.’_

 

“Let’s have a warm welcome for the leaders of our newest neighbors. King Asgore, Queen Toriel, do you have anything you would like to say before we begin?” Chin up, eyes glued on, yet not strained at, the host, hands kept from fiddling. Mettaton had called you with that very advice a few minutes prior, which you were certain would be beyond helpful.

 

“We would like to thank you for the offer of an unbiased coverage. This, I realize, has been far overdue.” You were also glad to have Mom here to help cover for you. She had much more experience with press and such than you and Asgore combined from all the years of managing the real heavy stuff in the Underground.

 

“And, for the record, just Asgore would be fine.” You felt sorry for him. A kindly man who would be more than happy to care for his garden being among the default figure heads for a touchy political and social issue. You would have to do something nice for him before your trip was over. Maybe he would appreciate some flashy tourist merchandise…

 

“And how about you, ma’am… er, uh, sir…?” You noticed her glancing off to one side, where the camera man shrugged. That was the fifty-second time someone had stumbled over your gender. Why did it even matter?

 

“Just Frisk works.” Trish chuckled nervously, not savoring the sudden possible political incorrectness. You tried looking as not offended as possible, which was easy considering that you weren’t.

 

“Of course, of course. So, do you have anything to add?” You thought for a moment, but nothing stuck out in your mind as that important. Anything of worth would be covered in the main questioning, as was your understanding. You confidently shook your head. “Hm, guess we’ll have to frisk you for intentions later, eh?” You gave a little chuckle of your own. You guessed that not everyone could be as good as Sans at tickling your broken funny bone.

 

“Now then, we have a real juicy question to start with, if you don’t mind. Our viewers are absolutely ravenous to hear your opinions on the Association of Humanity’s Will. Sources say that you’ve had a few violent encounters with members and supporters. Do you have any inside details on the matter?”

 

You knew it was only a matter of time before those guys were pulled in. The AHW, a perpetual thorn in the side of your efforts. So many humans clung to the idea of your family being power hungry demons, without even giving them a chance. You had some choice words about them indeed. Mom was quicker than you this time, though, so they would have to wait.

 

“As far as my knowledge goes, upwards of five armed mobs attempting to charge our home have been routed by the police forces of New Haven, for which I am eternally grateful. Though I would imagine those to be common facts among those who care for our struggle, one way or another. What may be more obscure are the two smaller assaults that were perpetrated by members who slipped into the community incognito.”

 

A gasp rolled across the audience like a tidal wave, their eyes flickering left and right to confirm with their neighbors that they had heard correctly. You could confirm from first hand experience that yes, such attacks had happened. And they were both unpleasant.

 

“It was only last month that a child, a close friend of my own no less, was held at knifepoint by an assailant. He was manic, but I gathered that he believed a monster to be responsible for the murder of one Jonathan Christoph. A mistaken assumption as the forensics show. It was only thanks to the swift efforts of our Royal Dog Guards and Captain Undyne that no one perished in the chaos.” That gleam, you really didn’t like that gleam in Trish’s eye.

 

“I have heard a few rumors about that incident. Is it true that Frisk here also took part in the rescue?” Of course things would spread. It was no secret that you were more magically gifted than the average human, mostly because you were the only one known to be able to use any, but you didn’t want it to be the main thing people knew about you. The powers didn’t make the person.

 

“Yes, I did. I just ran in when he was distracted, grabbed my friend, and left. Undyne restrained him shortly after, the dogs helping her get him to prison.” There was a buzz in the audience, but the positive kind. Looks like your care for Lansot earned you a few sympathy points.

 

“You must be pretty light on your feet. Tell me, if you can actually outpace the swing of a knife, is there anything you’re too slow to dodge?” She had no idea. No monster you knew was all that sluggish in a fight, which usually panned out for the worse for you. You couldn’t repress the shiver, which she unfortunately saw. Now you had to give an answer. Well, the topic was already on the table, so…

 

“Bomb blasts.” Shocks went up and down the crowd, already noticing how specific of an example that was.

 

“This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the bombing incident last fall, would it?” Asgore was kind enough to step in for you.

 

“Unfortunately so. Everyone within a mile had gathered around their home only to find it ablaze. I’ve no clue as to what miracle allowed them to escape, but it didn’t protect them from severe burns and shrapnel. Once again, it was our Captain of the Guard who apprehended the perpetrator.” Trish was blindsided by the reveal, the studio going quiet for several seconds.

 

“Oh my god, I knew something big happened, but a direct attack on an ambassador… How didn’t this get out?”

 

“The last thing Frisk and Toriel wanted was to bring too much attention to themselves, hence why the exact location was kept silent until now.” You rubbed a patch of skin on your right arm, the feeling of forcing your way through burning walls still fresh in your mind.

 

“I… I’m sorry to hear that. I fully understand if your thoughts on the group responsible are… less than nice.” Another chance to get your thoughts out there, another chance Mom took before you.

 

“I will admit to harboring some distasteful opinions on the matter. I have doubts that there is a mother who wouldn’t. However, at the end of the day, to say I would pursue them in a violent manner is simply untrue. How do I explain…?”

 

“Everyone deserves a chance.” No more getting cut off for you. This needed to be said. “I’ve seen some bad things in my life. Things like depression, suffering, fates that make death look like a dream. But, when all is said and done, I truly believe people can be good if given the chance. That’s why I can’t say I hate them. They, like everyone, deserve a chance to change.” A pair of warm hands wrapped over your own. From either side, Mom and Asgore supported you, a hint of nostalgia moistening the edges of their eyes. From the ether, the phantasmal hand of Gaster showed his agreement.

 

All around you, small smiles started to dot the sea of people watching. You could feel them, their hearts beating as one. This was the first step to peace, understanding. You bore your heart on your sleeve and spoke not but what you thought to be true. That is why your allies stood by you, ready to change the world. You were…

 

“Change this!” A crack rippled through the room, a sharp sting planting itself your left shoulder. The shock limited your possible responses, a hand shooting to cover the steadily leaking wound. The audience swiftly started to evacuate, screaming themselves raw. You took note of some who stayed behind. From the group of five hundred, ten remained, each pulling forth a small firearm. Lead fell to the stage like rain.

 

_‘Frisk, we have to move!’_ The metaphysical slap from Gaster was enough to rouse your senses, your mind flashing between your choices. Grab Mom and Asgore and run… No, then Trish would be left behind. You made an educated guess that your assailants were from the AHW, and they wouldn’t let a reporter biased against them go easily. Flip the couch for cover… Not enough time. The bullets were already coming, doing something like that would give them too great of an opening.

 

Three seconds passed, Asgore materializing his trident. Mom had gathered a flock of wisps, the first flurry making its way towards the swiftly emptying stands. There would be a one point five second delay between waves, timed to the closest millisecond over one thousand combat encounters. That was your chance. Your left hand wasn’t complying. You would have to make due with the right, charging it with as much electricity as you could.

 

The fireballs made contact, directly impacting one gunner and forcing the rest to take cover. Perfect opening. You bolted to the front of the stage, planting a hand to the ground. Wood was an excellent retardant for electricity, meaning the polished floor wouldn’t light so long as you didn’t try to charge it directly. The sparks bounced from the surface, spiraling upwards in thin threads. It wasn’t too much of a stretch to apply your skin lightning barrier to another surface, so long as you had contact with it. At this rate, the field would be ready to take fire in ten seconds. Nine, eight, seven…

 

Too slow. More ammo took to the sky. If only you had started sooner, had seen the shot coming so you could use your other hand. The time would’ve been halved, at least. You couldn’t disconnect yourself from the system quick enough to dodge, one shot moving directly between the eyes. It looked like Game Over.

 

Mom wouldn’t have it, throwing herself in front of you, arms thrust forwards with twin gouts of flame. She had no mercy for them, and they none for her. Many rounds were vaporized by the blasts, reflected at worst, but one was all that needed to pass. It grazed her left leg, leaving a thin wound. It was all the contact necessary to unload the hatred of its gunman. Through the thin scratch in her tunic, you saw her thigh slowly shifting to dust.

 

“Run, Frisk, and don’t look back!” The imbalance set in as the limb vanished, sending her to the ground. You forced yourself forward, trying to pick her up. She still felt solid enough. Maybe if you could get her out of here, give her a magic infusion…

 

Another bullet ricocheted off the floor, leaving a slight opening running beneath her left eye. Her eyes shot open, a single tear emerging as she fell to dust. It quickly stained your suit.

 

“Tori!” In a vengeful outburst, Asgore leaped from the stage, impaling the one responsible with an orange trident strike. All fire focused on him, most bouncing off his heavy plate armor. Just as one was about to hit his head, Undyne was on the scene in all her wrathful glory, knocking it out of the air with a spear.

 

“Damn stampede blocking me…!” A storm of spears followed her, running three more of the attackers through as the Dog Guard took to the stage. Off to one side, Dogamy and Dogaressa were herding Trish off stage as Lesser jumped into the fray. Greater was at your side, trying to pick you up. Doggo kneeled next to you, his hand flinching as it landed on your dusty sleeve.

 

“Her Majesty? She… she was always so kind, but now she’ll never move again. I promise a funeral, later, but I need you to get out of here. She wouldn’t want you to…” The rest of his words were muted to a light muttering as Determination flooded your brain. Your eyes locked to the humans in front of you, an unknown feeling filling your Soul.

 

No, you knew it, but you never really liked it. Rage. It wasn’t your way, a direct opposite to your merciful methods, but you found yourself unable to care. Your right eye started to itch, forcing you to grab it. The other opened wide, that weird droning buzz finally stopping.

 

_‘Frisk, stop, let me handle this! I can…!’_ No, this was your fight. No one hurt your family and got away. Not Chara, not random bombers, and certainly not these guys. You wouldn’t kill them, but you knew more than one way to skin a bird.

 

You pulled yourself from the dogs’ caring hands, thrusting your clenched right hand forward. You felt your DT materialize, a light hilt that soon grew into a full blade. Its razor edges parted the air. The closest one didn’t see you coming, cleaving through his gun and leaving a deep gash in his palm. You didn’t give him a chance to respond, dealing equivalent punishment to the other hand. One disabled, five to go.

 

The next closest caught your intent, fleeing posthaste. Turning your back on an opponent was a poor idea, and not just because it was the coward’s way. It left your Achilles tendons exposed. You took the opening without a second thought. Four left.

 

All attention was firmly on you, lead and steel filling the air you breathed. It hurt, wounds opening in your flesh quicker than you could count, but you were used to it. You had experienced many horrible things in your life, but they couldn’t stack up. Possession, guilt, two vengeful heroes, two angry gods, the list went on. These four couldn’t hurt you as badly as any of them.

 

They couldn’t hurt worse than losing your mother again. You wouldn’t let her death go unanswered. You muttered that old motto under your breath.

 

“It’s a beautiful day outside.”

 

One cut, two arms came loose. Three left.

 

“Birds are singing, flowers are blooming.”

 

Sideways slice, two hands left useless. Two left.

 

“On days like this…”

 

One more tried to run. You took off his shins, leaving him screaming on the floor. One left. A speck of something landed on your cheek. You wiped it off, noting the scent of iron. You glanced at the back of your hand, a few drops of blood smeared into your skin.

 

Memories flashed through your mind, a small hole forming in the haze. Through it, you saw yourself traversing through the snow. Snow Drake came up to you, attempting to get you to listen to his jokes. You apparently weren’t amused, walking by as his damaged form tore itself apart, his dust carried away by the wind.

 

No, that wasn’t you. You weren’t that violent. It was…

 

The realization hit you like a speeding Memory Head. You looked at your sword, the red liquid dripping from its blade. At that moment, the adrenaline finally giving way to rationality, could you truly claim you were different?

 

“…kids like me…”

 

One more bullet remained, the last in the final gunner’s stock. It flashed in the studio spotlights, highlighting before entering your forehead. You didn’t even flinch as you felt your attachment to your physical form slip away, as your Determination bubbled around the Soul inside you. A rift in time opened, accepting the core of your being as your body fell. The last thing you heard was the static of your judge’s teleportation.

 

“…should be burning in Hell.”

 

The darkness enveloped your being. You had fallen. How many times did this make? You had lost track a long time ago. That voice met you there, just like always.

 

_“Frisk, this is all just a bad dream. Stay Determined.”_

 

…No, that wasn’t the voice. It was too light to be Asgore. And it wasn’t addressing Chara anymore. No, it was aimed at you. Who was that…?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, why'd it get so dark!? Who turned out the lights!? Oh, wait, it was me. What can I say? Politics make me violent.


	13. Weight of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Save, the power of a god, but we all know what they say about power...

You sat there, perfectly still, in that column of light. The grass felt cool on your skin. And yet, it brought you no joy. Only one other thing remained in this infinite dark, to which your back was turned. The abyss that stretched out in front of you seemed more and more welcoming by the moment, but you knew you couldn’t. How would everyone feel if you…?

 

“Dark, darker, yet darker.” Your ears perked, not expecting company. It looked like not even death could separate the bind of the mask. “This feels so… familiar. What is this place, Frisk?” You had to think about it for a moment. You never really gave it much thought.

 

“Kind of a hub, I think. I die, I end up here.” You could feel his gaze gliding across your domain. It didn’t take long for him to lock onto the ‘interface.’

 

“This must be your link back to the timeline, yes?” You didn’t even have to look at it to know what Gaster was talking about. Two glowing white boxes, each labeled with their own command. On the right, Continue. It had felt your touch several times since your first discovery of this place so long ago.

 

On the left, Reset. That one had been a mystery to you for just as long, until Sans told you what he knew of it. You had sworn to never touch it after that.

 

What you perceived as minutes passed, Gaster unable to ignore your lack of response. He followed your line of sight, out into the shadows that surrounded your little sanctuary. He slid that way, a hand reaching out to touch where the light could not.

 

“I wouldn’t.” He stopped, looking back at you in confusion.

 

“What, precisely, is out there?”

 

“Nothing.” The lights in his sockets seemed to static a little, unable to comprehend what exactly you meant. “That’s where to go… if you lose heart. You still have plenty. Don’t go there.” His gaze became one of worry, pity, as he settled on the ground beside you.

 

“You aren’t thinking of taking that route, are you?” You weren’t exactly being subtle. Even with your family’s support, you had thought long and hard about that choice. It wasn’t one you could make easily, though. The repercussions could have been massive, considering the line of inheritance and your political position. Besides…

 

“Can’t do it now. I’m the only one who can go back, bring Mom back. Can’t leave her dead because of my mistake. Deserves better.” You couldn’t abandon her like that. After all, you had promised. A soft, sturdy hand planted itself on your back.

 

“Well said, friend. You know, I could take over for you when things fall apart. A few Eternal Sparks would end the predicament swiftly.” You shuddered, unable to agree with that plan.

 

“Bad idea. Innocent people in the way. Sparks aren’t exactly small.” You had gone over those memories several times, memorizing even the smallest details. One Spark was liable to bring the whole building down, with everyone inside.

 

“Something tells me that isn’t the only reason. I can feel that guilt, you know.” One of the few times you wanted to be secretive, thwarted by shared perception. You sighed, knowing there was no way out.

 

“I don’t want to kill anyone.”

 

“But it wouldn’t be you. I would have the blood on my hands, not…”

 

“I don’t want any blood!” Your outburst was the last thing he expected, flinching away from the loudest thing you had said in quite some time. “Didn’t you see me out there? Sword swinging, limbs flying left and right, and that smell…”

 

“I could _feel_ the LOVE coming back. I felt it, but I didn’t care. I felt my sense of self slipping away, but I didn’t even blink. I could feel the power, the strength to withstand anything they threw at me. I was invincible, and I hated it.”

 

“That’s what _they_ do. I… I’m not them… I’m not!” You slammed your fist down, leaving a depression in the grass. It stung, but that’s not why you were crying. You almost crossed that line in the sand. If you let even a single one of them die, you would be no better than Chara. To think you had given in to those thoughts, that rage, you had never felt less determined.

 

Arms closed around your quaking shoulders, a soft sleeve wiping the skin under your eyes. Gaster was whispering words of comfort into your ear, but you couldn’t make them out under the repetitive noises of your sobbing. You didn’t know how much time had passed, assuming time was a thing here at all, before you calmed down enough to hear him.

 

“Very well, we will do this your way. No sense in not trying when we’ve a perfectly serviceable checkpoint.” An accurate way of looking at it. “I suppose we will need a plan. How well can you recall the details?”

 

“Well enough.” You’d had practice in that particular field, too much if you were to be honest. You took a few deep breaths to steady your unstable larynx. Thinking while hyperventilating wasn’t something you recommended. “First priority, not letting Mom die.”

 

-

 

Two runs. Two attempts at setting things right, and neither worked out the way you needed. The first time, you saw the bullet coming. You slipped under it, feigning shock while hurrying to the front of the stage. Having both arms fully functional was a great boon to your barrier efforts. It cut the formation time down to five seconds.

 

Now if only you could’ve made it to the right spot quicker. One second into the process, the bullet storm let loose. One found its way into your upper left thigh, throwing off your balance and breaking the circuit. You couldn’t make your move under those conditions, and you would rather not delve into what happened next. All you knew was that you owed Greater Dog a very juicy steak and some comfort cuddles when those particular memories returned.

 

In your next brainstorming session, Gaster pointed out that you wouldn’t be nearly as fast as usual with your suit on. You knew you would never get away with switching back into your normal, less restrictive attire, but even the smallest change could make all the difference. Back in the changing room, you slipped the black over shirt of your suit off, leaving the puffy, white undershirt, which was much less stiff. Mom still felt the need to point out your alterations.

 

“Why aren’t you wearing the jacket portion, Frisk? Mr. Elusive worked very hard on it.” A bit of quick thinking spared you from another Reload.

 

“Stagehands say those big lights make it hot. Don’t want to get sweaty for the audience.” There was at least some partial truth there. Those lights were more warm than was strictly necessary. Your purely black outfit made you a magnet for the worst of the heat.

 

“Hmm, that would be an issue. Just be sure to explain that to him later. He may take offense otherwise.”

 

With part one of the adjustments made, you made certain to include part two. If memory served, Undyne had been complaining about the crowd getting in the way when the fight broke out and everyone went running. You pointed out how dark it was up in the rafters, and how cool an entrance from them would be if the need arose for your guards.

 

“Good thinking, punk! Me and Doggo’ll head up there. Heh, anyone who messes with you guys won’t know what hit ‘em! Break a leg!” You knew she meant well, but that one hit a little too close to home. At least she didn’t say ‘knock ‘em dead.’

 

With all the pieces in place, you let time go on. Right on cue, after your refined speech about your motivations, they opened fire. The crowd went screaming, and you went into action.

 

Two seconds in, slide downwards in your seat to avoid the first bullet. Slide from left to right on your way forward to confuse your assailants. In the corner of your vision, you saw Undyne falling from the ceiling. Her spear came down, knocking the pistol from the gunman in the far back.

 

While the other nine turned to react to the new threat, Doggo dropped in, landing on the frontmost target as he tried to run in for a better aim. He seemed winded, allowing the mostly blind dog guard to secure his hands to a chair with a colorful chewing rope. He wouldn’t be going anywhere.

 

With your progress unimpeded, you were actually able to set up the force field. Now all you could do was hope no one outside your wall got hurt. Those two were highly skilled combatants, but being outnumbered four to one aren’t the greatest of odds. Especially when one shot was all that was needed to make those odds eight to one. At least you didn’t have to worry too much about casualties coming from Undyne.

 

She was fully aware of how much you despised the idea of death, meaning there was a very small chance of someone getting turned into swiss cheese from spears at a whim. All you had to worry about was keeping the wall up.

 

That was easier said than done, though. It was only ten seconds later that your strength started to wane. The solid surface of lightning started to spark, the threads that composed it falling apart at the seams. You failed to account for the increased drain of energy for the larger coverage. Around only your arms, the shield could be up for upwards of twenty minutes, as far as your sparring with Sans went.

 

In a space like the entire open end of the stage, it was closer to twenty seconds, if that. Not nearly enough time to wrap up the situation. Mom recovered from the shock, covering you with fireballs. The way your threads were aligned allowed one way passage from your side out, letting the projectiles travel unhampered.

 

As the last four gunners ducked for cover from the three sided assault, soon to grow even more as the other Dog Guards arrived, you took your chance to retreat, ducking behind the couches. Your lungs were heaving, burning as your heart and Soul worked overtime to refuel your body with oxygen and DT. Fighting was infinitely more taxing when it wasn’t just you that needed to stay unharmed.

 

You peaked back over your makeshift outpost, only to see your old nightmares reawaken. In the center of the stands, clutching her right eye in pain, was Undyne. Her left hand waved wildly around her, coming incredibly close to slicing friend and foe alike with the edge of her spear. Her head was loosening, pulling apart just as you had seen so many times before.

 

“No, not here. Not yet…!” Your heart was racing, breath catching. You were no longer certain where you were, a studio in the big city or the abandoned caverns of Waterfall. Whatever dust she lost pulled back in moments later, her body gaining a wispy aura. Her armor twisted and bent, and an eerie light threatened to burst from beneath her eyepatch.

 

Your eye, though, it was burning up. It was like your mind was shorting out at the sight of the true heroine. Suddenly, a new layer of reality became known to you. Joining the airborne dust was a navy blue fog. It was almost like what you had seen rolling from Sans back in New Home, except his was a lighter hue. It really was her, the Undying. With her on your side, you couldn’t lose…!

 

…No. Even if she won, which you knew she could, it would still be a loss. At the end of it all, that form was a temporary power up brought on by sheer Determination. As soon as her supply ran out, she was dead. You couldn’t accept that, pulling as much power as you could to your left hand. Static filled your ears as the charge hit lethal levels, but it wasn’t from that.

 

“kid, what’re you…?” You pressed a palm to your chest, gritting through the sensation of your heart losing control, of every other organ failing. Trish could only stare at you, dumbfounded. Sans looked away in defeat as your body fell to the floor, aware that this run was now worthless in your eyes. You didn’t relish the thought of these instances of your friends having to deal with your death, no matter how short lived it would be, but it had to be done.

 

It was the quickest way you knew back to the hub.

 

-

 

Frustration was edging its way into your thoughts. To most, it would be a hindrance to their efforts, clouding their mind with rage. To you, though, it was a sort of fuel, helping you dig as deeply into your subconscious as possible. There had to be an answer buried in there somewhere. If not from your experiences, then maybe those of other Frisks. In this place, you had all the time you could ever need to scan through their memories.

 

Gaster preoccupied himself with observing the ‘world’ around him. His logic was that ideas could strike while doing the smallest of things. A nature walk was out of the question, considering the only nature in this place was a fifteen foot wide patch of grass and flowers, so that would have to do.

 

You dug deeper and deeper, finding nothing in the compendium of the untainted versions of you. Swallowing your fear, you tapped elsewhere, into the pool of increasingly twisted Frisks. They had more knowledge of reciprocating violence.

 

Near the surface were the simple ones, those that had fought off the control thanks to Papyrus’s true heart. Everyone hated them a little more. The only one who seemed even vaguely neutral was Sans, though he still chastised your actions to a degree.

 

A little deeper, where you found the ones who made it all the way to Undyne with Chara’s whispers in their ears. At that point, the Underground felt more empty, the survivors outright hostile. Even Sans was more passive aggressive, understandable considering what had happened to Papyrus. Never mess with his brother.

 

Still, you found no solution. The timelines that spared Mettaton were few and far between, the corruption usually too deep to stop at that point. You gritted your teeth, pushing to the bottom of the barrel, those who had given in fully to Chara, giving them the free reign they so desperately wanted.

 

Everything went hollow. The Underground, the surface, you, everything. You barely had to search through the thoughts relating to Sans, knowing what had transpired in that hall all too well. The idea of facing him again, the visage of the judge staring you down, it scared you. The clink of bones, the whine of blasters, the burning of your flesh as your sins turned to toxins in your veins…

 

Wait, that was it! How didn’t you see it before? The KR effect was unable to actually kill anything, bringing them down to the absolute edge of life before leaving them for the direct attacks to finish off. Careful application could force the fight out of anything shy of a demon, and you were fairly certain those ten who troubled you were human.

 

You just needed a way to get Sans on the scene quicker. Good thing your specialty was careful wordplay.

 

-

 

You were back to your long speech, halfway through a script you knew well enough to recite on autopilot. Your body was carrying on as usual, but your brain was focused on putting all the pieces together. You had mentioned time, winking at a camera to get across the word’s emphasis. Trish had made a pun out of your name again, ensuring that he would be feeling the deja vu. You had done all you could this time to tip your ace off to something going wrong. If your calculations were correct, he would be on the way as you spoke.

 

“They, like everyone, deserve a chance to change.” As the comforting touch of Mom and Asgore’s hands settled over your own, you were allowed a moment to ponder over that philosophy. The gunners had taken your life, directly or not, thrice now. There was no emotion, no remorse, no mercy. You couldn’t deny that bitterness setting in.

 

Even so, you were still trying to keep them alive. When you thought of it, you found it difficult to justify lethal harm. Your closest friends, your most active human supporters, even your own mother, all had threatened (and actually succeeded at) killing you before. Hundreds of times for two in particular. Three was a microscopic statistic by comparison, one you could let slide.

 

_‘I… Well, I understand your reasoning, but I’m a mite disturbed right now.’_

 

_‘I’ll talk to Blooky about it later.’_

 

Your internal alarm went off. It was time to put your newly revised plan into action.

 

“Change this!” The crack rippled through the air. Two, one, duck. Making your magic wall wasn’t viable anymore. A physical barrier would have to do.

 

“Behind me, now!” Hearing you get so loud was a cue everyone in your close circle took to mean ‘do it now, question it later.’ As soon as Mom and Asgore were on their feet, Trish following their lead under the effect of shock, you planted a hand on each of the sofas. Your move was covered by the Undyne airstrike and Doggo dog pile.

 

The seating turned into your stronghold, piled atop each other in wall. Gaster’s equation vision said it was eight feet high, just tall enough to cover a standing Asgore. His calming presence and willingness to step in were far from the only benefits to having a helper in the back of your mind.

 

…Why didn’t you think of that sooner? You reached over your shoulder, gripping for the smooth, white accessory hidden under your shirt. It slid over your face easily, giving you that little extra defense. If the front was strong enough to resist a high powered, magi-tech welder, a basic handgun bullet shouldn’t have been too much of a problem. No more shots between the eyes for you.

 

“Your Majesties!”

 

“This way!”

 

Dogamy and Dogaressa were just on time, Greater and Lesser right behind them to cover the royal evac. Greater was about to pull you away to the back stage, but you twitched out of his grip.

 

“Have to see this.” You left no uncertainty in your voice. You were the one who bore the world’s clock. The second something unsavory happened, that second would cease to be. You just had to be there in person to monitor it. One Save made in false relief would seal the stream forever, barring the forbidden route, of course.

 

He knew your serious voice, the sound of an unmoving ward. He buckled in, putting on his game face. If you were staying, he was staying, period. Yep, he was definitely getting that prime cut when this was all over. The fleeing footsteps behind you slowed down, almost stopped. You turned around, risking the run to reinforce their morale. You looked Mom in the eye, giving her a thumbs up.

 

“We’ll be fine, promise.” You saw the hesitation in her eyes, but she knew that you weren’t budging on this matter.

 

“I trust you will keep your word. Stay safe, my child.” You would have to do something for her later, too. A weekend of relaxation maybe, taking care of all the household chores. Sounded fair.

 

No, think later. Focus now. You peaked over the couch, checking the progress of the battle. Ten had cut down to five, Undyne and Doggo still standing strong. Pinned to the walls, completely out of their wits, were the fallen foes. They were on the brink of unconsciousness, their eyes all hazy. Actually, there was something else there. The colors were kind of off, for lack of better terms. What was with that rosy tint…?

 

“Frisk, watch it!” Undyne’s panic brought your attention back to the active combatants, where one of them had noticed their primary target spacing out. A horrible mistake on your part, as the trio of projectiles right in front of your face showed. The first two were on route for your temple and jaw, deflected by the mask. Thank goodness for that idea. Didn’t stop the bullet that pierced your right shoulder, though.

 

You grit your teeth against the pain, your left hand wrapped tightly around the wound to constrict blood flow. You didn’t need to bleed out here. Through your watering eyes, you saw that Undyne had let her rage win out, suplexing the guy who shot you through a wall. He wouldn’t be a problem any longer, but that huge blind spot she left herself with was another story.

 

“Undyne! Back left!” She turned around to a serious case of deja vu, three bullets on their way to take advantage of her hasty counterattack. You couldn’t stop a vision from overlapping reality, forcing you to relive your last attempt. That Undyne screamed in pain as she was blinded by the lead.

 

This Undyne, however, had a skeleton looking out for her.

 

“UNDYNE, YOU MUST BE CAREFUL! YOU CAN’T PERFORM YOUR DUTIES FROM BEYOND THE BEYOND, YOU KNOW, NOT TO MENTION HOW MUCH WE WOULD MISS YOU!” Papyrus taking the field was surprising enough. What got you even more was what he used to block the bullets. Instead of bones, as you would expect, it was the shiny white carapace of a brand new blaster.

 

While Sans’s before it had a demonic edge to them, Pap’s was a bit more earthly. Where the originals had sharpened points, the new had rounded tips. Where the old were worn, cracked, the new was smooth as its owner’s armor. Where the old bore wrath, those eyes of unparalleled madness, the new was calm, unmoving in the face of its newest marks.

 

“like the new gear, kid?” Now there was a sound you’d been needing to hear for about three retries. You got a good look at your savior (or one of them at least), and he looked the same as always. Mellow, prepped for anything. Then he saw the hole in your arm and got appropriately serious, relatively speaking. “wow, that ain’t ketchup. here, let’s take care of that.”

 

You felt a somewhat familiar pressure inside your shoulder, almost bone deep. A light stinging in the skin followed by a blissful nothing. Floating in the air, surrounded by that blue magic, was a slightly bloodied bullet. Thank Sans for telekinesis. And for rolls of cloth, which he promptly wrapped up the leaking opening with. It would need a more official treatment in the near future, but this would do perfectly for now.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“anytime. now, any tips for not getting my bones handed back to me on a dirty platter?”

 

“Taunting won’t do anything. Anything you say just rolls over them.”

 

“hm, immune to my best quality. and they call us monsters. no killing, right?” You nodded, grateful that he understood you so well. “on it. hey pap, let’s get this over with quick. kid’s kind of raggedy over here.”

 

“QUICK IS MY MIDDLE NAME! OBSERVE, NYEH HEH HEH!!!” Observe you did as the new weaponry let loose. Its lasers were a deep orange, and, though much more thin and less destructive than Sans’s, they were still pretty powerful. Saying you’re weaker than a nuclear warhead still puts you in the league of a nuclear warhead. Chairs, floors, walls, anything without a Soul to stand against the beam, was blown away shortly after contact.

 

This cleansing light lingered on the unsuspecting attackers for only a few moments before leaving, but that was enough to leave them without the strength to stand. It wasn’t long before the source of your torment, these AHW activists, were on the ground, breathing yet unable to keep fighting. And suddenly, you had the intense urge to hug everyone present, collapse into a sleeping heap on the floor, and cry uncontrollably all at the same time. Yeah, you needed to get ahold of Napstablook, ASAP.

 

“Ha! Take that, haters! Us one, you zero!” You let her bask in the glory, already dreading having to tell Undyne that she was a few points off. For now, you just lowered yourself from the stage, Greater following you to the celebrating fish lady rubbing a knuckle into Pap’s skull.

 

“PLEASE, STOP HURTING THE SKELETON! I ONLY HAVE SO MANY BONES YOU KNOW! HEY, FRISK, THERE YOU ARE!” He was living up to that middle name, disentangling himself from Undyne’s arm bar and hefting you into the air. Your grunts of discomfort drew his gaze to your still injured limb, the cloth around it dyed a harsh pink. He moved double speed to get you gently to the ground. “HUMAN, YOU ARE LEAKING! UNDYNE, SOMEONE, CALL THE AMBULANCE PEOPLE!”

 

“chill, pap, ’s not that urgent. let the kid breathe a little.”

 

“Yeah, Frisk’s made of sterner stuff than that. They can take a hit from me after all!”

 

It did your Soul some good to see these guys up to their usual thing. Seeing your friends happy, safe, it was rewarding. Like proof that all your hard work was worthwhile. It was like you could afford to care less again. No more worrying about perfect movements, perfectly delivered lines, the defeated man climbing to his feet with a gun pointed at Pap…

 

Wait, what!?

 

“Pap, behind you!” For the third time that day, someone turned around to see that they were about to be shot. This time, it was Papyrus. You heard the shuffling around you, but they were all too slow. Undyne wasn’t as fast as a bullet. Sans needed a millisecond more than he had for his teleportation. By all records, your friend was about to die.

 

You sighed internally, shaming yourself for celebrating too quickly. It was back to the drawing board. To a span of time you had no accurate ruler for at the edge of the void on your tiny island. You started to turn away, unwilling to see his death again…

 

…No. You couldn’t give up that easily. You had put in so much effort, so much heart, so many drops of sweat and streams of blood. You couldn’t abandon all that now. You couldn’t just stand there and let him fall.

 

You REFUSED.

 

Determination burned in your veins. It had never hurt so much, hurt so good. The shackles of limitations were unlocked, and you were released to the world. One second, Papyrus was staring down upwards of ten projectiles, moving to tear him to shreds. The next, the world seemed to bend, warp, leaving you, arms outstretched for maximum coverage, right between the two.

 

One by one, they pierced your skin. You felt them lodge in random places around your body. Three in your left arm, two in the right, a few around your torso, the rest in your legs. You landed, unstable on your feet, the metals still searing in your wounds. The blood loss was faster, but you couldn’t worry about that now.

 

Around the room, nine more figures rose. They ignored their own injuries, instead turning their strength on the monsters in front of them. It wasn’t natural, wasn’t right. You couldn’t register it.

 

The world was about to fall apart again. You didn’t have enough flesh to block all the bullets they had left. No, you needed something else. Blasters charged above you, spears filled the skies, a howl rattled it all, but you had retreated inwards. Gaster had tried forcing himself into the pilot’s seat, but you gave no ground.

 

You needed help. You needed an army. An elite squad. A little more time.

 

Something, anything…

 

You called for help…

 

Beneath you, no, above you? Somewhere, something started to shake. Your vision was dotted by golden light. You focused a little more, the images clearing up. Shards, roughly broken apart. One brushed against your hands, the smell of buttercups making itself known.

 

With no other plan of action, you tried to grab more. You noticed a few of these pieces would fit together. Puzzle logic set in, the pieces all settling into place. That smell grew stronger as more shards came together. Soon, they all fit into a single column, the surface flowing like water.

 

Your world quaked, a headache hitting you with the force of a speeding Endogeny. You fell to the ground, your Determination leaving your body. The air fed on this power, and then it laughed. No, not the air, you knew that laugh…

 

“HAHAHAHAHAHA…!” You shivered, your head impacting the wooden floor. In the corner of your vision, you saw that screen. The snarled grin, the red and green eyes, the giant, otherworldly eyeballs hanging off the sides…

 

You passed out as Omega Flowey opened fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frisk, uh, has some pretty big problems. Never put a perfectionist in charge of too much, got it?


	14. Weed Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That stuff that happens wherever Omega Flowey shows up happens. And then some.

I thought I’d seen enough of the flower’s ugly mug. Apparently I was wrong, ‘cause it was looming over us in HD, laughing its head off. I swear, if he hadn’t been blocking those bullets for us, I’d’ve shot him.

 

“Man, this kid has a knack for surrounding themselves with IDIOTS! Let me teach you all something. There’s only one person here who’s allowed to kill them. Spoiler alert, IT’S ME!” Vines dropped down from the squirming mass of greenery that made up his Omega form. Slowly, carefully, they wrapped around Frisk, arranging themselves into a ball around them.

 

“what’re ya doing with our kid, brussels sprout?” Was he using them like a shield against me? Heh, finally had a half decent idea. Broken clock’s right twice a day, I guess.

 

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t hurt them. Yet. It’s no fun when they’re already on death’s door. At least, when it wasn’t me who put them there. Speaking of which…” His cheeky little grin started to decay, flipping into a wicked snarl. “What do you morons have to say about messing with MY catch?”

 

For a good ten seconds, there was nothing, silence. I took the chance to map out the new battlefield. More and more of those tendrils started to roll over the wooden floors, limiting ground based movement. If this was really gonna go down, I’d have to watch out for the tripping hazards, and getting too close to his main body would be a big mistake, too.

 

Then, out of the blue, I heard someone laughing. Wouldn’t have been too big of a deal normally. Too many humans could classify as a total nutcase, most of them comprising this AHW group. But this one, it struck a cord deep down in that hidden part of my psyche. The vibrations rattled through my bones, echoed in my skull like a gong, but I couldn’t pin down exactly why. The tremors only stopped when the guy started yapping, his voice not eliciting the same response.

 

“I think I speak for everyone here when I say that it was one of the best decisions of my life. Now we get to kill the monster creep and the mother of all beasties in one fell swoop! Open fire!” The room started crackling like a bag of popcorn in the microwave, the gunshots so close together that only the most trained ear could tell they weren’t all one long noise. I dragged Papyrus, Undyne, and Greater Dog into a team huddle while the maniacs and weed kept each other busy.

 

“alright, when those guys run outta rounds, flowey’ll be too busy trying to squish ‘em to keep a swollen eye on his rear. gonna need your help hacking away at that ball he’s got frisk in. when the kid’s out, i can open fire.”

 

“BUT SANS, HE’S OBVIOUSLY ONLY INTERESTED IN THOSE GUYS. WON’T HE JUST STOP WHEN THEY AREN’T A THREAT ANYMORE? OH, THAT ALSO MEANS WE’LL HAVE TO GET THEM TO A HOSPITAL BEFORE THEY LEAK TOO MUCH…” And that’s why I didn’t completely like the idea of Pap being a front liner. His loving heart made him soft when things got all sorts of crazy.

 

“look, i’ve fought this guy a whole lot over the timelines. know him and his motives like the back of my hand. if he wants it, and sees a chance to get it, he takes it. he’s got frisk all tied up, and i can’t go blasting him when he’s got a hostage. that means the world’s fair game as far as he’s concerned. if we don’t pull him now, he’ll start taking over the lawn. sorry, pap, but i can’t afford to budge here.”

 

His features started to scrunch up, trying to digest what was going on. Dyne was quicker on her feet.

 

“Alright, this has got to be fast. I don’t think he’ll give us much time to work with when he finds out our little plan.”

 

“Woof!” Greater was on board, too, from the sound of it. His bark almost drowned out the deep breath Pap was taking.

 

“Fast you say? Well…” He puffed back up real quick, thumping a fist against his chest plate. “FAST IS THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S MIDDLE NAME!” That’s my bro, always there when it counted. Isn’t he the coolest?

 

“good to hear, great fast papyrus.” My whatever hearing organs skeletons had picked up on the lack of bangs going on. The huddle broke to see the human jerks back where they belonged, on the ground. Flowey, however, was still standing (er, floating, I guess), shaking his vine arms free of bullets.

 

“Well, that takes care of that. I’d make a game out of slowly whittling you down until you begged me to kill you, but I have some smiley trash to take out.” Fun as that sounded, I did the dunking around here, thank you very much. Not to mention that struck me as a sign that those idiots were about to die. Didn’t like the idea of letting guys like that live on, but I hated the thought of letting the kid down even more. I signed a countdown from three.

 

“Oh how I love a game of whack-a-mo-OW!” Gotta agree there, and we had the perfect mole. Undyne had the first swing, hacking through the tendrils connecting Frisk’s cage to the rest of the greenery. All it took then was some blue magic pressure from Pap to rip it off.

 

“HEY MORONS, ARE YOU REALLY SO BLASPHEMOUS AS TO STRIKE YOUR GOD!?” He let a blast fly from that fleshy set of chompers, which I met point for point with a blaster.

 

“please, you aren’t any god as far as i can tell. and i should know what he looks like, since he’s boned me over a few hundred times now.” I heard the others getting ready to jump in the thick of the fight. “hold it, guys. undyne and greater, you two should get frisk out of here. don’t need this guy takin’ ‘em back, and those spears of yours are a whole lot better at cutting than bones. pap, help me cover.” He was at my side in a blink.

 

“AYE AYE, INCREDIBLE SANS! I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY GARDENING!” Flowey started showing hints of that ‘totally gonna trick some idiots’ grin.

 

“Come on, Pap. It’s me, your best friend, Flowey the Flower! You trust me, right?”

 

“I AM SORRY, OLD FRIEND, BUT YOU PROVED YOURSELF TO BE A LETHAL INFLUENCE WHEN YOU INTERROGATED DADSTER AND ALMOST DESTROYED FRISK AND TORIEL’S HOME. AS MUCH AS I LOATHE THE IDEA OF GIVING UP ON A FRIEND, I CANNOT LISTEN TO YOUR ADVICE ANYMORE.”

 

The weed apparently wasn’t expecting that, an eyebrow going up. I can’t believe he actually thought that little trick would work after the stunt he pulled. No matter how much I hated him, I had to admit he had a brilliant head on his stem. Never thought I’d see the day were he acted outright brain dead.

 

“Fine. Enjoy being on the losing team, IDIOT!” If sticking by his pals and family made him dumb, I don’t think any of us would want to be smart. Flowey opened up with a pellet barrage. Far from the hardest thing to dodge, and a really easy thing to counter. A bone to the eye was enough to shut down the stream, Pap following my lead on the other one.

 

“you forget how many times we’ve done this song. i could sing it in my sleep, flower.”

 

“AND ANYTHING MY BROTHER CAN DO, I CAN DO ALMOST AS WELL! EXCEPT SCIENCE. HE CAN KEEP THAT.” Arm in arm, we zig zagged through the stabbing vines.

 

“and sleep. no way you’d beat me there.” Man, he was even slower with those fly things than I remembered.

 

“TRUE, BUT NOT EVERYONE CAN NAP FOR EIGHT HOURS.” Those random bursts of fire were a bit tougher, but we managed.

 

“hate to break it to ya, but…”

 

“Stop…” We looked up, and were promptly spooked by the screen glowing red, his eyes almost literally staring daggers. “Stop… TOYING WITH ME!” He was done with the small potatoes, pulling out his… his… You know, I can’t think of any sort of plant that could relate to nukes with his face on them.

 

“pap, stay close.” I raised my left hand, snapping my fingers. My ever loyal blaster swarm was quick to listen, squeezing together in a makeshift bomb shelter. It was a bit hot under there thanks to all the fire and smoke, but that really didn’t mean much to a skeleton.

 

“your special attack kinda sucks.”

 

“Look again, calcium-for-brains.” I aimed the corner of my eye at where he was pointing, only to start staring that way directly when I realized who was there. Undyne and Greater were just about through, some skin visible under the last layer, but that last stretch turned deadly with the storm of bombs hanging overhead. “Look out below!”

 

Those two knew what was coming, but they didn’t know what to do. If they stayed to get Frisk, they’d be hit, and it’d be curtains for them. If they left, then the kid’d be on their own, immobile in an air raid. A lose-lose situation if I’d ever seen one.

 

Good thing Pap had them covered. Literally. His blaster made just as good of a barricade as mine, making Flowey’s max coverage attack all but useless. When the detonations stopped and the smoke cleared, our huts vanished to reveal one ticked off TV.

 

“you ready, pap?”

 

“NATURALLY!” Pap’s blaster joined mine in the space above us, the hoard all pointed at Flowey. The magic around us bent as Pap summoned his bones.

 

“bros. attack!”

 

“BONES AND BRIMSTONE!”

 

Pap told me about this move a bit after I woke up. Said he named it because he thought my spirit was fighting alongside his. And maybe it was in a way, my blasters and all. Now it was irrefutable that I was with him, and it was every bit as awesome as he described.

 

My blasters always left a few, small holes for an opponent to slip through due to the space they needed to intake magic. Complete coverage was a pipe dream as far as I could tell, the only solution I had being to make a bigger gun. When me and Pap were together, the open air could be filled much more reliably with bones of both white and blue persuasion, making it an unnavigable mess for anyone who wanted to throw down.

 

Didn’t exactly hurt that Flowey was around the size of a good barn. Well, didn’t hurt us anyway. Him? Yeah, those screams did sound pretty pained. My left eye zoomed in on him, a bar representing his physical state materializing. It was looking pretty low, and was dropping by the tick.

 

“just a bit longer, bro. get him low enough and those Souls should pop right out.” He looked pretty happy at the idea that we wouldn’t have to kill him.

 

“THEN WE CAN JUST CONTAIN HIM SOMEHOW, TEACH HIM TO BE GOOD! WOULD A FLOWER POT WORK?”

 

“No, NO. How…” He sounded beat, but still refused to just drop. Determination was a real annoying thing to fight. “How could you be this…?”

 

At that point, I think time just broke. The space around us warped a little, us standing a bit more to the right than we were before. In the corner of my vision, it looked like Frisk’s prison had restored a few of its layers, much to the rescue team’s confusion (one of them showing a rather impressive potty mouth.) And right above us was an expression I could only describe as a troll face. The type of look I’d pull after a good dunking.

 

“…STUPID!?”

 

“but, but… how?” It shouldn’t’ve been possible. It made no sense. Frisk was ahead in the Determination department by leaps and bounds, even more so if their and Gaster’s magic pool was linking up like he had been theorizing. “how the heck are you accessing YOUR SAVE STATES!?” That stupid grin just got even more cheeky, a chortle slipping out of the clenched teeth.

 

“Oh, you really thought the kid was in control? GET REAL! No one’s higher on the food chain than me, Flowey the Flower!” His face shifted from pleased with himself to menacing in a wave of static, his big old flesh mouth thing charging up another shot. “Let’s try that again! HAHAHAHAHA…!” I dug my feet in as sturdily as I could, charging up my shots to retaliate.

 

“looks like it’s back to square one with us. get those bones running, pap.” He put all his energy towards summoning as large of a flurry as he could, exhausting what looked like a whole closet’s worth of ammunition. Flowey reached his peak capacity, those misshapen teeth parting inch by inch, savoring their payload. I took a deep breath, about ready to say my line again…

 

Then it just stopped. For a split moment, I could’ve sworn his whole body glowed an off gold. A second later, he poofed away in a cloud of yellow, glassy particles, taking his next attack with him. Sensing his threatening aura vanish, Papyrus dropped to his knees, bones rattling with exhaustion as his attacks clattered against the wood.

 

“OH GOODIE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT JUST HAPPENED, BUT IT SURE WAS A STROKE OF LUCK FOR US. I WAS JUST ABOUT DRAINED! WAIT, IF HE’S GONE, THEN DOES THAT MEAN…?” He peaked over his shoulder, gasping in glee at the sight of Frisk without a single tendril encasing them. Less fortunate was the pool of blood and paling skin, which made him retract that gasp and run over to them, beating Undyne and Greater to the retrieving process. The kid was gently cradled in Pap’s arms.

 

“DO NOT WORRY, FRIEND, I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU ARE IN THE HANDS OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL STAFF WITHIN THE HOUR. SANS, A TELEPORT! SANS?” He wasn’t liking how quiet I was being, but I couldn’t help it. Had too much on my mind.

 

“studio like this should have its own medical ward, especially with a foreign official in for an interview. stagehand should know the way there. oh, and tell the docs that if anything happens to my little buddy, they’re in for a bad time.” Didn’t even give him a chance to respond before blinking out of there.

 

Looking back, that was a real jerk move on my part, but I had someone very important to question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, Pap's on the money with the whole gardening thing. I mean, look at all these seeds!


	15. Budding Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the going gets tough, Sans gets going. There's more than just skeletons in some closets.

Took a few deep breaths of that cold, wintery air. Snowdin brought back a whole lot of memories. Not all good, but the majority’s what mattered. My recollections on the younger years, joking off with Pap while he tried to work, were replaced by lazy afternoons joking off at that big locked door with the nice lady on the other side. This time, though, the door was wide open, and there wasn’t anyone nearly as pleasant on the other side.

 

Those dank, purple halls made me think. That’s where Tori hid herself for, like, eighteen years? Not real clear how long she was there, but there’s no doubt that it was a long time. Had to wonder how she didn’t go nuts for so long, what with all the human kids leaving her behind and the nearby grave of her adopted little cretin. Frisk was the one thing she had left, and I didn’t feel like letting her past take them away.

 

Wasn’t long before I found my way to the deepest reaches of the Ruins. I looked up, the source of that single ray of light all but invisible from this distance. That slim bit of sun was all the ground needed to support the field of buttercups, on which sat the most toxic weed of all.

 

He wasn’t paying much attention to me, his eyes glued on that TV the kid got him. Some sort of old cartoon with a purple dog. Whenever the low charge light started to blink on the generator powering it, he manually cranked the handle, but never broke eye contact with the screen.

 

Maybe he didn’t know I was there? Those slippers of mine did muffle the sound of my walking. Only one way to find out. I waltzed up, avoiding the occasional bit of grass, stopping when I was about five feet off.

 

“pretty nonchalant pastime for a killer.” Nope, didn’t expect me, at least if the tensing muscles (for lack of better term) were any indicator. He adjusted quickly enough, glaring at me like I woke him up at midnight.

 

“What do _you_ want, Smily? I don’t like having my show interrupted.” The nerve of the little…

 

“oh, not much, just a question or two for ya. give me a good answer, and i’ll be out of your petals.” Probably after plucking them off, but that’s beside the point.

 

“Fine, but make it snappy. Missing the best part.”

 

“alright, so what exactly were you doin’ at that news studio today?” He gave me a look of confusion, like I was the one out of my gourd.

 

“What are you yammering about? I’ve been sitting here all day, idiot. Figured I’d lay off your little ‘buddy’ for a bit when I heard about that trip. No one likes the news, anyway.” Had to agree with that last part, but the first half smelled like some ripe fertilizer. I pulled out my phone, flicking through the video files.

 

“here, i snagged this from the studio cameras before i left.” It was a clip they caught when the guy piloting it ran off too quickly to stop the recording. Kinda shaky, but it showed the so-called god hovering over his latest human conquest and a bloody Frisk being carried up and coated by vines. “so, i’ll ask again, and don’t lie to me…” My eyes went void mode.

 

“WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?” My intimidation tactics were less than effective, mostly because he’d seen them so many times before. He was too busy staring at the footage, facial muscles clenching at random.

 

“That’s not me, you’re lying!”

 

“sorry, brussels, but that ain’t the case. this guy knew things only you would. your advising of pap, the threat frisk poses to you, not to mention how to access Save States. three strikes, flower, now fess up or you’re goin’ out.” I reinforced the threat by bringing out my blasters. All of them.

 

I was expecting him to start laughing like the madman he was so clearly turning into. I thought he would bust out that Omega form and open fire. I imagined a thousand scenarios, but what I got didn’t match a single one.

 

He raised a leaf, grasping the amulet around his neck. I hadn’t seen it there before, his posture hiding it in the shade until then. I recognized it as the locket Frisk said they found in Asriel’s room at New Home. Did they give it to him? And were those… tears?

 

“You really are dumb if you think I’d still be stuck on that old agenda. Losing to that kid twice, it changes a guy. What’s the point of reliving the same experience over and over and over again? There is none. It’s all just leading to our graves. Doesn’t matter what you do, cause that’s where you’ll end up either way. Thinking like that, I haven’t had much drive to do anything but sit around and watch what the kid gets up to.”

 

“Now?” There was a laugh, but not the one I was used to. Maybe it was how slow it was, or how deep he sounded, or even that angry gleam in his eye, but something in that laugh unnerved me. “Now, I actually have something to work towards! And you’re going to show me the way.”

 

“sorry, brussels, but i hung up the guide hat months ago.” He hefted himself up on vines, staring at me at eye level.

 

“Come on, it won’t be too hard! All I want is a general direction. I can handle the legwork from there.” The tip of a tendril clicked against my phone’s screen. “Seeing how the little idiot’s full of bullet holes here, and these guys are holding guns, I’m guessing they’re responsible. They’re part of that group that’s been trying to blow up Ebott or whatever, right?”

 

As I saw it, we were at a crossroads. I could tell him what I was thinking, confirming his guess, and effectively point a nuke at those guys. Pretty sure the kid’d get cold on me for being that callous, though, and I didn’t think I had it in me to cross my little pal.

 

Alternatively, I could completely deny the claim. They’d live on to hopefully get taught the right way by Frisk, but the chances of that were slim to none. Plus, that’d leave the flower as an even more unstable force in the long run. Rage without direction was a dangerous thing.

 

Welp, guess I had to try the third option. Neutrality’s always a choice.

 

“‘sides the motive, we don’t have much sayin’ who those guys are linked to. for all we know, they’re solo operatives. looks like you found yourself a dead end.” He was getting frustrated, I could see it in his eyes, but then I think he had an idea. He let another chuckle slide.

 

“Yeah, it does look that way, but that’s why they invented GPS!” He dropped back to the ground, sinking under it shortly after impact. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop, bone butt! Now I know exactly what I should be doing. If killing’s all I’m good for, then I’m sure as heck gonna be the best! HAHAHAHAHAHAH…!”

 

I had a horrible feeling about that line. Tried reaching out, grabbing those Souls he was hoarding, but he was already out of range. How did a plant get that fast?

 

Okay, so either he had taken some good acting lessons since the last time I’d seen him or he was being honest. Hearing about the ten gunners set him off something fierce, and he would’ve already been intimately familiar with them if he had been there. It was nice to find out that psycho wasn’t the root of the problem.

 

And yet, it was terrifying. What’s the one thing worse than a threat you know? A threat you don’t. And whoever it was mimicking Flowey, I was completely clueless. Who had that kind of knowledge of our group’s innermost secrets, power over time, and a reason to want humans like them dead?

 

“gonna need some help.” I pulled out my phone, holding down the A key for speed dial. Who better to help analyze the data than a fellow scientist? It was less than five seconds later when someone picked up on the other end.

 

“Oh my God, Sans, where have you been!? Frisk, they’re…!”

 

“yeah, i know.”

 

“Then why aren’t you out here doing something!? Like, like, finding out who sent those guys, or why Flowey was here, or…”

 

“Alphys, that wasn’t Flowey.” People really didn’t like hearing me when I didn’t sound like me. Her rambles shifted over to panicked stuttering.

 

“If… if it wasn’t F-Flowey, then wh-who…?”

 

“that’s what i’m wondering. you up for a little investigatory work?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, officially dipping my toes into the mystery genre here. How is it? Cryptic, kind of hard to decipher, just as I intended?
> 
> ...You've already figured it out, haven't you?


	16. Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What good's a mystery without some good, old fashioned detective work?

The moon above us was full, the stars glittering like eyes of gold…

 

…Nah, too clichéd. Anyway, Alph and me were strolling along in the dead of night. Easier to stay hidden when it was darker, and there were less humans out and about to boot. ‘Course, I had to keep my hood up. Pure white bones, or most white surfaces for that matter, reflected whatever light hit them way too well. That’s also why Alphys had exchanged her lab coat for thick, black clothing, complete with a stereotypical black beanie.

 

“you know, something’s telling me your id isn’t so secret.” Probably the yellow, scaly tail poking out from the sweat pants. Just a hunch.

 

“Well, it could be worse. I could be wearing the exact same outfit I always have on.” That was a bit on the nose, and not entirely true.

 

“hey, i’m wearing blue slippers today.” Plus, they were super plush. No one would hear me coming.

 

“True, and they’re doing a wonderful job at covering up the fact that your heels are just bones.” Under the stressed out snapping, which I understood completely, she had a good point. If I was caught on camera or by some sort of guard, the AHW would present our breaking and entering as proof that monsters were no good. Guess we had to stay out of sight. “You brought a map, right?”

 

“yep, courtesy of our friendly neighborhood hooligan.” For a kid who almost got Frisk pulverized once, Pierce was a useful asset. He could take control of whatever security grid he wanted, streaming whatever footage he needed straight to his personal computer. Far as I had heard, Gassy’d been wanting to question him on it for a while, but business kept getting in the way. I’d’ve asked for him, but business got in the way. Weird coincidence, right?

 

With his help, I also got my hands on the home address of those angry mobs that kept getting delivered. Frankly, we were sick of getting the wrong packages, but we’d need a few more stamps to cover the final return to sender request. Stamps that looked an awful lot like attack orders. Had to be a copy of at least one declaration of war sitting in a file somewhere, and finding it would make it so much harder for them to launch assaults on us.

 

That, in turn, would let me focus on finding the Flowey clone.

 

“so, you ready to make frisk’s job a little easier?” She gave me a determined nod.

 

“Yeah, they’ll need the help. I mean, ten entry wounds?”

 

“mhm.”

 

“Near misses on their internal organs and two cracked ribs?”

 

“yep.”

 

“Several torn muscles in their arms and legs? It’ll be a miracle if they can walk with crutches when they wake up from the surgery anesthetic!”

 

“alph, you’re startin’ to get me down.” Her shamed blush was even more highlighted than usual against her dark attire.

 

“Sorry, Sans, it’s just, still setting in, you know?”

 

Yeah, I knew, which is exactly why I didn’t want to talk about it. That darn kid didn’t know when to quit, hurling themselves in front of Pap to literally take the bullet for him. After already dying a number of times that I didn’t know. Pretty sure Undyne’d be hailing them as a badass when they woke up.

 

I only saw Pap one more time between my rushing off and that little expedition into human territory. He was next to Tori at the foot of Frisk’s bed, telling her how grateful he was to her kid. His hands were flipping through one of those homemade coupon books whose sum total equalled how much he felt he owed the kid. When the first one on top was a coupon for one free hug, redeemable however many times Frisk wanted, I thought it was a safe assumption that it was a hefty debt.

 

Tori, though, she was ten flavors of out of it. Hands fiddling, eye bags big enough to carry a month’s groceries, jittery muscles, the works. Ironically, it was Pap’s ramblings keeping her afloat. Good thing that guy didn’t get tired easily.

 

In the grand scheme of things, these activist jerks were probably a comparably small weight on her shoulders, but I wasn’t a doctor. Dealing out judgment was the one thing I could do to take off at least a few pounds. And this time, I needed a second opinion. Well, technically a computer expert to actually get the dirt, but hey, it’s the only analogy I’ve got.

 

The skyscrapers on either side of us were carefully watched, scanned for their address. A quintuplet of numbers counting upwards the further north we got. We knew we were close when the first four all lined up. Four, five, six…

 

There we go, seven. This was the place, though the glowing ‘Association of Humanity’s Will’ sign above the door quickly made me realize how much time we wasted with the building scanning. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. I glanced at the paper in my hands, calculating the coordinates to the document room. When all the numbers lined up, double checked just to be sure, I put a hand on Alph’s shoulder.

 

“welp, here we go.”

 

-

 

Alph and me were through most of the physical filing cabinets, without a scrap of evidence for our case. It looked like they had one heck of a secretary running the paperwork, and probably a good paper shredder to take care of the more incriminating bits of ink. The only thing we had yet to search was the oldtimey box a youngster would struggle to identify as a computer.

 

“you’re up, sis.” She nodded, rubbing her gloved hands together.

 

“Heh, this old tech has so many holes in it. Shouldn’t be a problem.” She booted the thing up, settling into her intense focus mode. She didn’t get far, flinching away a bit after the desktop came on, trying her best to keep her screech hushed.

 

“Good God, this thing browses the web with Internet Explorer!” I looked and, sure enough, the logo was a blue letter E with a yellow crescent going around.

 

“maybe it’s all this old tub can run well.”

 

“This thing’s an even bigger trash heap than I thought. Barely good enough to scrap for parts! You have to feel sorry for someone who has to write these documents up with this thing.” Agreed two hundred percent, but that wasn’t why we were there.

 

“just get the files we need and you can go back to the stuff that runs faster than an asthmatic snail.” That was the only motivation she needed to hurry up, clicking through every folder to open up every option. Weren’t too many files on it. A few day plans, some finance records, real basic stuff. But nothing that we could use. “looks like a dead end.”

 

“Wait, there’s one more thing we can try.” The mouse cursor slowly scrolled to the top left corner of the screen, getting closer and closer to the metal bin hovering there. “You can throw away whatever you want on these things, but it won’t do you much good…” A double click later, we were bombarded by six very suspiciously named documents. Each was labeled with a date and the phrase “Expunging Ebott.” Was that what they were calling their terrorist operation?

 

“…Unless you empty the thing after!” It was exactly what we were looking for, Alphys inserting her ghost drive to start the download. No one would know we were here, no matter how hard they looked. Still, something was bothering me. These were some pretty major assaults, including the bombing incident at Frisk and Tori’s place, but there were two things missing.

 

“say, do you see any dates there for the studio gunners? or the guy who almost hacked up lansot?”

 

“No, but almost killing an ambassador and queen once would be enough on its own to get these guys shut down. Then you add the other five mobs and, well, I think our chances are pretty good.” She had a point there. We came for case evidence, we left with case evidence.

 

Even so, as we teleported out of that hive of warmongers, I couldn’t help but think something extra wrong was going on with those missing few.

 

-

 

I glanced left and right, on the lookout for guards. They might not have been a threat, but even one person escaping with knowledge of yours truly would have blown my cover. Good thing this prison was delightfully unmanned. Idiots.

 

You see, that’s the problem with small towns like New Haven. Crime wasn’t a big thing, so when it did happen, there were always holes in the system. Maybe a cell door would get stuck shut from rust, or the toilets didn’t work just right. Those were minor. But having no one on duty to watch over a crazy knifeman? That’s where things got bad for authorities and good for rule breakers. You know, like me.

 

What also helped was that there was only one cell block. And by that, I mean two cells on either side of the back room. The left one was empty, probably on account of the door being, as I had said in example, rusted shut. Just looking at it told me that much. In the other, sitting with head in hands and body in an orange jumpsuit, was my guy. His mid length, brown hair blocked my view of his eyes, but I could see the stubble growing on his chin.

 

He was on the thin side, too. Good thing I got there when I did. Another month might have seen him dead of malnutrition, and the bowl of soup sitting on his side of the cell door told me it wasn’t because of bad cops. Making sure the two of us were the only ones around, I popped through the ground of his containment area, shooting a pellet at the top of his dome. It hit with a beautiful thud, his head popping up to a crystal clear view of his bloodshot, green eyes. It was like I had given him an anxiety attack or something.

 

“Oh god, I knew one of you would be coming! Well, go ahead, just get it over with. I can’t take the suspense!” He stretched his head up as far as it could go, exposing his throat for all to see. Did he expect me to kill him?

 

“Yeah, no. Normally, I’d say someone like you is fair game, but I’m not here for blood. I just want some answers and I’ll be on my way, and an oath of silence or whatever if you want to keep your stupid head.” He looked equal parts confused and relieved, sagging like a wilted flower.

 

“Merciful heavens, thank you. You have the oath, just tell me what you want!” Good enthusiasm. It made my job so much easier.

 

“You’re with those human bomber guys, so you might be the guy to ask where I could find their HQ, right?” The depression came back, the only sign I needed to say I had hit a brick wall.

 

“I’m not with the AHW. I don’t want anything to do with them!”

 

“Then why the heck would you go and hold a kid at knifepoint!?”

 

“I… I don’t know.” His eyes were starting to get wet. What a pitiful moron. “I just remember hearing about Johnny’s death, then I lost it. Went drinking, big time. By the time I was plastered, a weird voice started talking to me. Real deep, husky, told me the monsters did it. I wasn’t thinking straight, actually bought it. And now, oh God help me, I actually tried to kill a kid…” He was unabashedly bawling his eyes out, nose getting all snotty.

 

That wasn’t at all what I was wanting, but now it had my attention. Some sort of heavy-voiced phantom telling people to kill monsters? This was something to sink my teeth into.

 

_‘That sounds… familiar.’_ Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt something shake. That stupid voice I was stuck with knew about this? Well, that was convenient.

 

“Alright, guy, that’s all I need. I’ll leave you to your mortal misery.” Just as I was about to vanish, a wayward wale struck a cord deep down. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. Was it pity? A need to assert my superiority?

 

Was it, dare I say, sympathy?

 

Whatever it was, it was bugging me. Looked like I didn’t have much choice but to do something. I knew the feeling wouldn’t go away until I did.

 

“Ugh, the things I do for bubble blowing babies these days… Look, I’ll see what I can do, but don’t go expecting a miracle. And you better be grateful.” I didn’t know if he responded, if he even heard me, because I was gone by the time it left my mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I was going to make some sort of Whodunnit crack here, but then my brain went back to that tune from the Backyardigans. Curse you, oddly catchy six year old media!
> 
> "Hot potato, hot potato!"
> 
> Shut up, Tom!


	17. Youth's Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, even the mighty need a shoulder to lean on.

Awareness slowly found its way back to you. You felt sluggish, drowsy, and everything was dark. Had you died again? Was this the hub?

 

_‘Open your eyes, Frisk.’_ Oh. Things would be hard to see with your eyelids down.

 

They drifted apart, the little light that was present enough to hurt. You tried moving your right arm up to rub the pain away, but it only brought more. Your arm wasn’t responding too well, the shoulder and elbow each giving off a burning sensation. The left was much more cooperative, the searing pain limited to sections between joints.

 

It felt oddly rough on your face. When your vision cleared a little, you saw the off white gauze wrapped firmly around your limb. You slowly turned it, catching sight of three wide, red spots along its length…

 

_One by one, they pierced your skin. You felt them lodge in random places around_ _your body. Three in your left arm, two in the right…_

 

For a moment, it felt like that reality had returned, the bullets still burning just beneath the surface. You willed it away, though the pain was much slower to flee than usual. A few hazy thoughts made you wonder why it was your left arm that could move despite taking just as many shots as the right. A glance revealed two similar blood spots, the one on your shoulder especially large, each on a major joint. They answered your question rather well.

 

_‘Frisk, that was reckless. You could have been killed!’_

 

_‘As though that’s never happened before.’_ Death stopped being such a huge deal when it was your own ages ago, after everyone you loved and their pet goldfish had a swing at you. _‘Papyrus is alive, right?’_

 

_‘Oh yes, he is quite lively, but I still say you should see a proper psychiatrist in the near future.’_ Considering the power that let you come back could be taken the instant someone of a greater DT level came into the picture, and how your biggest threat at that moment was essentially a murderous version of you, a reminder of the concept of death was a pretty good idea.

 

_‘I’ll talk to Mom about it later, promise.’_

 

_‘You had better, or I’ll do it for you. Now, though, your immediate concern should_

_be bracing your ears.’_

 

_‘What does that…?’_

 

“HUMAN!” You cringed a little, the outburst completely unexpected. You had been so focused on yourself, you hadn’t bothered to look and see that you weren’t alone, or even where you were. It was definitely a hospital room of some sort, though not one you were familiar with. It only hit you just then how many times you had been bedridden in recent months. Why did you have to be a lightning rod for misfortune?

 

Standing at the foot of your bed, right in front of a toppled chair, likely thrown back by its occupant shooting up, was Papyrus. He flinched back, regret twisting his features. Now you felt guilty for making him feel guilty. He saw you see his flinch, forcing himself back into a more peppy state.

 

“SORRY IF I SURPRISED YOU, FRISK, BUT I’VE BEEN SO WORRIED! I MEAN, WE’VE BEEN SO WORRIED. HOW DO YOU FEEL? CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING?” You thought about it, nothing coming to mind. You tried answering him verbally, only to be caught off guard by a series of harsh coughs. How did you not realize how thirsty you were? “I SEE YOUR THROAT IS DRY. NEVER FEAR, FRIEND, FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL RETURN SOON WITH A DRINK! NYEH HEH HEH!!!”

 

And then he was gone. Without his glowing presence taking the spotlight, you had a chance to look around your newest clinical environment. It was that same sterile white as always, the floor acting like a heavily obscured mirror. The peach curtains fit the color scheme, their somewhat thin make allowing in a small amount of light. You guessed it was either early morning or late afternoon.

 

On your left, sitting atop a bedside stand, a digital clock displayed 7:10 AM in red. Turning your head to see it let you know how stiff your neck was. You had been through a number of injuries in your time, but you firmly decided that gunshot wounds were among the least fun to recover from. At least Flowey’s pellets let you move around after a direct hit.

 

_In the corner of your vision, you saw that screen. The snarled grin, the red and green eyes, the giant, otherworldly eyeballs hanging off the sides…_

 

You gasped, trying to fling yourself backwards. All you accomplished was bumping your head against the headboard. It was softer than you had imagined, barely enflaming your headache at all, much to your relief. You wondered why they had decided to go with green for its color, though.

 

Such pondering was silenced by the big question; what sparked that particular memory? It couldn’t have just been mentioning Flowey. Maybe it had something to do with that heavy aura in the air…

 

_‘On your guard!’_ You didn’t know what Gaster was so stirred up about. At least, not until he forcefully turned your head to the right, where the air smelled lightly of buttercups. Did they grow them in a garden just outside your window?

 

“You done with the panic attack, or will I have to hold you down?” That snarky, disdainful voice answered so many of your questions. You were able to fight down the surprise, standing your ground (well, technically sitting on your bed) against Flowey. A nonverbal response wouldn’t do much, meaning you had to strain your lungs to not cough while you spoke.

 

“Hey Flowey, something up?” Keep things casual. You would have a chance to ask him why he showed up at the interview later, just don’t make him angry. He would run away, and then you wouldn’t get a chance. Stick to the here and now.

 

“Well, first things first, clearing my name. I know what you’re thinking, and no, that wasn’t me at your little press event or whatever. Some half wit’s posing as me. Ask Smily for the details.” Oh, so Sans beat you to it. Not all that surprising. You didn’t even know how long you had been out. “Hey Masky, you know anything about that?”

 

_‘Tell him no. I would myself, but I may be tempted to do something rash if given_ _control.’_ At least he was honest about it. You shook your head, careful not to move too quickly. Flowey muttered something under his breath, but you couldn’t hear what.

 

Looking closely, you saw that he was wearing a necklace. Your gaze dropped, stopping at the red, heart shaped locket dangling from what passed as his neck. You smiled warmly, glad he liked the gift. You hid the feeling as his eyes trailed back to you, knowing that you didn’t want to lean on the ego button.

 

“Fine, fine. Now, Frisk, as much as I despise doing this, I need some help.” Okay, you had to be hallucinating. You trusted him enough to not hurt people you cared about anymore, but the Flowey you knew would never ask for your help. Demand? Maybe, but he would never ask.

 

“Am I still asleep?” You asked it in earnest, but Flowey still got ticked off, quickly delivering a pinch to the tip of your nose. The pain confirmed that you were still awake.

 

“There, solid proof, now shut up before I change my mind.” You clamped your mouth shut, unwilling to ruin this huge step forward. “Good. So, there’s this guy, Andrew Reynolds. You know him?” Gaster’s recollection was quicker than yours, the picture of the deranged kidnapper already front and center in your mind. “Taking that as a yes. Well, I have a bit of evidence that says he’s innocent.”

 

_‘Innocent my hollow palms…’_

 

“Yeah, as it turns out, Chara isn’t the only possessor in town.” Your eyes widened, knowing that his sibling wasn’t something he would lie about. “The night his pal went and got himself killed, the idiot got smashed. When his guard was good and down, someone with a deep voice started talking in his brain. The next thing he knew, he was holding that Lansot kid hostage.” You felt your blood running cold.

 

_‘Another being like Chara in our midst… If this proves to be true, it would mean_ _our position is more volatile than we first thought.’_ It also meant you needed Gaster around more than ever. The idea of another person with the ability to make you into not you was terrifying. If your arms weren’t so stiff, you would’ve reached back to grab the mask for comfort.

 

“Scary stuff out there these days. I can’t blame the guy for not wanting to eat anything. He’s looking awful thin, though. Another month and there might just be a third skeleton lurking around, if you catch my drift.” If it was another spirit that made him do it, you needed to talk to him, let him know that one person believed him. You just needed a way…

 

_‘Wait, you are already certain Flowey is being honest? What if you went there, only to be killed in your attempted kindness?’_

 

_‘I can just make a Save.’_

 

_‘Frisk…’_

 

_‘Psychiatrist, ASAP, got it.’_ You only had one more thing that needed clearing up.

 

“Flowey, why would you tell me all of this?” He turned around, not looking you in the eye as he spoke. His leaf arm twitched towards his chest, going back to his side in a moment of indecision.

 

“Because, idiot, this new spook haunting around might just be entertaining, unlike your goody-goody two shoes schtick day in and day out. He told me about that, I told you about him. That’s how a trade works, right?” He burrowed away, not leaving even a single speck of dirt on the ground.

 

He could hide it all he wanted, but you knew the truth. Speaking of hiding, you heard those clicking bones coming down the hall. You had about five seconds to wipe any signs of your conversation from your body language before Papyrus entered. He paused just outside your door, slowly opening and closing it as he passed.

 

“I AM SORRY FOR THE WAIT, BUT I HAVE OBTAINED SOME WATER! PERSONALLY TREATED FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS.” You took the offered glass with a grateful nod, starting with a sip to moisten your dried throat. The walls softened, that awful craggy feeling swept away by both the water itself and the magic bouncing around inside it. It worked better than most energy drinks, and without any of the nasty side effects.

 

The knots in your neck muscles smoothed out, letting you turn your head with far less difficulty. Your arms, however, still felt like planks of wood. Holes in flesh weren’t as easily healed. At least you didn’t feel so cramped anymore.

 

“Thanks.” As he went on about it being no big deal and something about him owing you so much anyway (which you didn’t agree with him on), the emptiness of your room finally hit. You were more than glad that he was alright, but you had hoped more people would be present. It would’ve made things a lot easier for you if everyone at risk of dying had been there for a headcount before you let yourself Save. Holding your Determination back by force wasn’t exactly easy. “Hey Pap, how are the others?”

 

“OH DUH, SILLY ME. OF COURSE YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW! WELL, THE ONLY ONES WHO GOT HURT BAD WERE THE MEAN HUMANS, BUT THEY’VE ALREADY GONE TO THE HOSPITAL. NOT THIS ONE, NO ONE WANTED THEM NEAR YOU. THEY’RE IN THAT ONE DOWNTOWN, JUST DOWN THE STREET OF THE PRISON.” You had to wonder whose idea it was to have those kinds of facilities so close to each other, but it was convenient for heavily injured criminals. You would have to ask someone in charge later, as there was something more important on your mind.

 

“So, no one good was hurt?” He scratched his chin, counting on his fingers.

 

“THERE WERE A FEW BRUISES FROM THE SCARED HUMANS RUNNING OFF, AND YOUR… UH, YOU KNOW.” He waved a hand over the majority of his body. “BUT I THINK THAT’S JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.” No deaths? That means you… you actually did it. They were safe. Mom, Greater Dog, Undyne, they were still alive. “FRISK, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? ARE YOU HURTING?” Why would he think…?

 

Oh, your cheeks were wet. You were crying. Heh, you hadn’t even noticed.

 

“T-tears of joy, Pap.” Well, to say you weren’t in pain would be a bold faced lie.

 

But hey, it wasn’t anything you hadn’t felt before. And compared to the relief of knowing you hadn’t blown your chance to set things right, it was but a speck of dust in the grand scheme. Finally doing something right, filled you with Determination. A Save formed, sealing that dark chapter of your life.

 

“HUMAN, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I MADE THIS FOR YOU! THE ONE ON TOP WOULD BE IDEAL RIGHT NOW, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. AND I DO.” In his hand, a stack of small notecards bound by a metal spiral sat. It seemed to be some sort of coupon book, the one on top labeled ‘FREE HUGS FOREVER!!!’ In the center of the slip was a doodle of a tall, armored skeleton and a short, shaggy haired human hugging. You briefly contemplated turning the booklet down, sticking to your guns about him owing you nothing, but that one just sounded too good at the moment. You tapped your selection.

 

“ONE BONAFIDE SKELETON SQUEEZE, COMING UP!” His arms carefully slipped around you, careful to not put too much pressure on yours. The hug itself was lighter, too, minimizing the weight on your torso. Even so, it relieved your troubled mind, holding proof of your survival in your sore arms. You felt all of the weight of those three failed timelines bleed away, letting your guard drop as your crying intensified. You didn’t like the idea of getting Pap’s clothes all dirty, but you couldn’t hold back anymore.

 

“THERE, THERE, FRIEND, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU. AS WILL THE OTHERS. OH! I SHOULD PROBABLY TELL THEM THAT YOU’RE AWAKE!” Your grip tightened a little as he tried to pull away. Something deep down just didn’t want to let go yet, no matter how much the rest of you wanted to see Mom. Pap’s assurance of her safety was all you needed to know that things were fine. “SEE, THERE IS NO SHAME IN ACTING YOUR AGE EVERY NOW AND THEN. WOWIE, THAT FEELS A LITTLE BACKWARDS…”

 

As if things were ever normal around you these days. But you wouldn’t give up the excitement for all the world. Your friends, your family, they _were_ your world, and you wouldn’t let anyone take them away. Not the AHW, not the other versions of you, not Chara, no one. You were DETERMINED.

 

The beckoning shadows became silent, warded away by the glow of purpose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, that whole suicide thing was just the surface for dear little Frisky.
> 
> And with this, the backlog has officially run dry. It might be a little longer until the next update. Not a hiatus, mind. In fact, if I'm not back in two weeks, please call for help because that means I've been kidnapped. (Now watch as that actually happens after I said it as a stupid joke. Psychic indeed.) Sorry to those who appreciate the upload stability, I will have more chapters stocked beforehand for the next story (which will probably be another side story.) Promise!


	18. Misery Loves Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a title like that, I'm tempted to paste some Linkin Park lyrics here.

Eventually, no matter how much your Soul protested, you let Pap run off to spread the word. Keeping your consciousness to yourself wasn’t the best idea, anyway. At least you still had Gaster to keep you company.

 

_‘Frisk, was there anything familiar about those brutes?’_ Even if he did bring up something you would rather not think about at the moment.

 

_‘Not really, why?’_ A few seconds of complete silence passed before he answered.

 

_‘I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen them before. Something about the air_ _around them, I think. I just can’t place a finger on it.’_

 

_‘Maybe they tried to kill me before, in another timeline?’_

 

_‘…Yes, that could be. I wouldn’t be surprised if something from within a faulty_ _time loop started to fade after so long. Please, pardon the spirit slowly losing his mind.’_

 

_‘If you’re losing yours now, I probably don’t have long.’_ It was kind of disconcerting that your sense of humor, on top of being broken into little, easily amused pieces by Sans, had such a dark edge to it. You wondered if anyone you knew had experience with psychiatric care.

 

“Knock knock, you awake?” It took you a second to recognize the voice of the reporter, Trish. What could she want at such an early hour?

 

“Come in.” She didn’t need to be told twice, keeping her movements as steady as possible to muffle any squeaking the door may have done otherwise. Her brownish-blonde hair was done up in a ponytail, her stuffy, official-type grey dress shirt replaced by a magenta sweater. It was kind of cold in here, come to think of it. “Morning, miss. Need something?”

 

“What, a girl can’t swing by to thank someone who saved her skin?” Talking to her now was a lot more natural than up on stage, and not just because of the cameras being pointed at you. She sounded more casual, less like she was staying proper for the audience. There were still shades of her normal self up there, but not much past that.

 

“No thanks needed. Just doing what’s right.”

 

“You mean like taking a bullet or two for your friend?” It was more like ten, but you only really knew that from counting the blood spot polka dots.

 

“Between him or me, I’d rather it was me.”

 

“Yeah, you strutting your stuff yesterday already said that much, and I’m not the only one who noticed. Look at this.” Her phone came out, preemptively showing the page for her studio’s live coverage. The comments section was jam packed, thousands of people all talking about the interview.

 

“Man, I could watch that kid move for hours. Did they get their stuff from Mettaton?”

 

“IDK, but did you see them flip those couches? OMG, so strong! <3”

 

“How does a little thing like that have an important position, mad moves, and a bod that can take gun fire!?”

 

“determination, that’s how.” Wait, was that last one in…?

 

Yep, the username was bad_bones, in the comic sans type face. Sans, never change.

 

“See? The public loves you. And if they love you, they’ll support you.” Some of those comments went above and beyond what you had expected. Scrolling to the more recent section produced even more results.

 

“WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED!? SCREEN, VINES, BLACKOUT, _WHAT!?”_ You checked the video itself, which had apparently lost connection with the camera just after not Flowey showed up. Everyone had the same response as that first guy, up until someone else said they heard that things had settled around the studio. The section that really caught your eye was right before that, when it looked like you had won.

 

“Is it just me, or did that fish just protect the whole crowd?”

 

“Well if it’s something you’re on, I’m probly on the same thing, cuz I saw it too.”

 

“Monsters saving humans, humans helping monsters, maybe this peace thing could work?”

 

That, that right there, made everything worth it in your book. There wasn’t a reason to regret showing up there now, because it actually did some good.

 

“Looks like that unbiased coverage your mom wanted won’t be happening anytime soon.” Yeah, no, it looked like the line in the sand was firmly drawn at this point.

 

“heh, crushing lead’s more fun anyway.” About time he showed up. You had been expecting him for a while, though Trish couldn’t say the same. She had just about jumped out of her skin when he appeared in a chair right behind her.

 

“Wh… How… When did you get there!?” You tried your absolute hardest not to laugh, but a little chuckle still slipped.

 

“just now. y’know, this isn’t too bad a setup for a news hq clinic.” Oh, this was still the studio? Guess that explained why Trish was there, she worked there.

 

“Wait, you’re the little skeleton that went toe-to-toe with that big plant thing. Your brother’s been hunting you down since you up and vanished.”

 

“thought so. heh, gonna have to say sorry for that, aren’t i? something kinda big just came up, you know how it goes.” Come to think of it, there were some pretty thick lines under his sockets. And his eye lights weren’t as bright as usual.

 

_‘Looks like my boy has been busy. It’s about time he got himself out of that inactive slump.’_

 

_‘Agreed, but I don’t think going a night without sleep is healthy either way.’_ You didn’t expect to see him up past noon that day.

 

“What exactly is more important than calming down a panicked sibling, if you don’t mind me asking?”

 

“keeping that sibling safe. i’d tell ya, but it’d be faster to show ya.” From under his coat, he produced a small, manilla file full of papers. “alph should be handing off another copy to tori right now.”

 

“You mean Doctor Alphys, your guys’ Royal Scientist, right? Must be some sort of big research discovery or some…” She stopped mid sentence, eyes growing to the size of dinner plates.

 

“you could say that, yeah, but it isn’t all that sciencey.” You stretched your neck as far as you could, trying to get a glimpse of what took her attention so well. In her hands was the first of what looked like six documents, the title standing out in big, bolded letters.

 

**Expunging Ebott: Effective as of Sept. 13, 20** …

 

You didn’t have to read any farther to see just how big of a thing it was. Trish was on the ball, too.

 

“Oh my… This, these are attack orders!”

 

“hand signed by the head honchos of the ahw themselves. be a real shame for ‘em if some big news team got their hands on these.” What a sneaky little skeleton. Never change.

 

“You know, I’m pretty sure breaking into wherever they had these things stored

would be considered a crime.”

 

“i won’t tell if you don’t.”

 

“Anonymous tip?”

 

“works for me.” Mutual understanding met, Trish hurriedly rose from her seat, taking care not to crease the important documents in her hand.

 

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I know a few higher ups that would be thrilled to have a sneak peak at the AHW’s guts. Maybe I could let a few cops into the loop while I’m at it.” She was almost out the door when she stopped to address you. “See you around, Ambassador, and thanks again.” The door slid carefully back into place, the soft click of its settling offset by the rapid footsteps following it.

 

“welp, between the human jerks and the fake flower, i think i’ve done my part for a while.” You briefly considered making the skele-ton joke, but you figured playing the same card too often was a bad idea.

 

“Good job! That find must have been a marrow-cle.” Much better. It even got a little laugh out of him.

 

“boy i’ll say. their tech’s as outdated as their worldview. seriously, they still had one of those computer monitors that doubled as a bludgeon.”

 

“Sounds like a real headache.”

 

“oh yeah. alph’s gonna need a few days of quality tinker time to get over the shock. honestly, internet explorer of all things…” That’s all you needed to hear to grasp how bad it was.

 

_‘Could a simple web browser really be that bad?’_ Oh yeah, it was easy to forget that Gaster had been divorced from human society for twenty years, and something like that would have ranked low on his research list in the End.

 

_‘Tell you later. It’s… something else.’_

 

“Thanks for showing up, Sans. Couldn’t have done it without you and Pap.” He had already sunk into the chair beside you, waiting for the others in the only way he knew how. As chill as physically possible.

 

“no sweat, kid. couldn’t just let someone mess with my little buddy right?” He fluffed up your hair, as monsters always seemed to do when trying to comfort you. Considering most of the people around you were a good bit taller than you, it made sense. “i’m guessing it took you a few tries to get things set up just right. need to vent a little?”

 

_‘How many variants of the word yes exist? I feel using them all in a quick string is_ _the only perfectly honest answer.’_ While you agreed with his judgment, every muscle in your body aching to just let what burden remained after Pap’s hug session out in a torrent of words and tears, it wasn’t fair to let Sans alone take it in your place.

 

“Should wait for everyone else first. Been out of the loop long enough, and they’ll just get concerned when the memories start coming back.” Sans nodded slowly, his eyes a touch closer to their usual gleam.

 

“good call. so then, uh, you want a preview of my next standup routine while we wait?” Even though you hadn’t said anything yet, he knew you needed some cheering up. What a nice guy.

 

“I like the sound of that.”

 

-

 

About twenty minutes had passed, each one punctuated by a punch line from the increasingly weary looking Sans, when heavy, foundation shaking footsteps came rumbling down the hall outside. It sounded like a herd of stampeding bulls, followed by a smaller heard of stampeding calfs. Whatever was making the racket stopped outside your room, the door carefully opening to reveal a concerned looking Mom. Yeah, that made sense.

 

“You know, my child, this does not get easier the more it happens.” With the movement hindering casts and bandages, being forced to burden everyone else for your every minute need, and Mom’s heavily bloodshot eyes, her judgment was spot on.

 

“Sorry. Again.” You really didn’t have anything else you could add. She, as always, took the seat closest to your side, running a hand through your hair.

 

“It is fine. Well, not fine exactly, but you are still with us. That is what matters most.” Your opinion diverged slightly there, but it wasn’t as if you could go quietly on anyway.

 

“Promised, didn’t I?” Her eyes cooled down a little, relief making way for burdened thought.

 

“You promised you would be alright.” She placed her palm over your red stained right shoulder. “Such wounds do not strike me as alright, Frisk. True, this is superior to the… alternative, but pleasant is still the last word that comes to mind.” Sans scooted a bit closer, patting Mom’s back.

 

“eh, don’t get too worked up, tori. it’ll take more than a little gunfire to stop the kid. talkin’ from experience here.”

 

“You’re darn right it will!” And here came Undyne to bolster the mood. “I know they’ll be up and about like nothing ever happened in a month, two tops!”

 

“Yeah, the science lines up. Young children can bounce back from injury a lot easier than adult humans. Keeping them well fed and the nutrients flowing can make it even faster, too, so please cheer up!” Wait. Was that Alphys. Getting a piggyback ride. From Undyne?

 

Your internal squeeing intensified. You were lucky for the winded Papyrus choosing that moment to burst in, otherwise it might have become external.

 

“WOW, YOU TWO *puff* HAVE BEEN TRAINING OR SOMETHING! *puff* I HAVEN’T SEEN SOMEONE GO THAT FAST *puff* SINCE UNDYNE TRIED COOKING AT YOUR PLACE, YOUR MAJESTY!” And now you had the image of Mom chasing a flour coated and slightly crispy Undyne around while Asgore made liberal use of a fire extinguisher. Good times. Scary times, but still pretty good. Alphys signed something at you, which Gaster had to translate.

 

_‘She says, ‘And that’s why we usually just get takeout for dinner.’_ It was getting harder and harder to not laugh. you wanted to stay polite, but one more odd occurrence would be all you could handle…

 

“Sorry I’m late.” And right on time, Asgore trudged in with red and blue clown face paint splotched across his fur, the little moist towelette he had doing next to nothing for him. “In my excitement, I ran into that circus group that was scheduled for a performance today. They seemed understanding enough, but it wasn’t without its, uh, ‘casualties.’ Namely, anything wool based in a five foot radius.”

 

And there went your control, right out the window. You couldn’t stop yourself from giggling madly, but at least you weren’t alone.

 

“Oh man, I knew you liked costumes, dude, but this is ridiculous!”

 

“y’ know, you’re the last one i’d think to catch…” You didn’t like the look of that wink. “red handed.” Oh your poor, abused lungs, they could hardly keep up anymore. You almost droned out everyone else’s whooping merriment on your own. You were sure the whole studio heard you. It was quite a while before they could get you to calm down, your lungs sore in that satisfying sort of way.

 

“you’re lookin’ better already. laughter’s one heck of a medicine, right?” You nodded, appreciating the almost magical power of a good joke.

 

“Wanna hear an even better gag?” Undyne looked absolutely giddy, that sharp grin of hers shining brighter than any light bulb.

 

“UNDYNE, I SWEAR, IF IT’S ANOTHER PUN…!” Poor Pap, stuck groaning while everyone else around him succumbed to his brother’s sense of humor. Even he was starting to turn, if the unintentional bone pun earlier was any indicator.

 

“No, something even funnier!” She leaned forward, grin turning to a smirk. “The AHW. I mean seriously, just leaving evidence like this…” The other copy of the incriminating attack orders sat in her hands like some sort of trophy. “…out where any old pair of geniuses could find it…” Alphys blushed like a cherry at the compliment, Sans taking it in stride with a slightly widened smile. “…makes them a grade A joke!”

 

“got me there. a herd of stooges is a hard act to follow.”

 

“N-not that you would w-want to. Since, you know, they’ll be g-going to jail.”

 

“AND THAT MEANS OUR COMMUNITY IS SECURE ONCE AGAIN! GROUP HIGH FIVE!” Mom coughed, gesturing down to your impaired arms. “OH, UH, SORRY FRISK. WHAT I MEANT TO SAY WAS COOL HAND RING PACT THING!” Yeah, that one worked much better, six hands piling atop your own in a loosely organized spiral. Asgore took the lead.

 

“Here, to the brighter tomorrow we’ve worked so hard to create!” Undyne chipped in soon after.

 

“Yeah, and without any casualties to boot!” The delighted chatter fell silent as your hand automatically twitched at the bottom of the stack. Their eyes were all on you, wondering what it was about.

 

“My child, have we missed something?” You couldn’t suppress the small gulp as your realized your cover was blown.

 

_‘You agreed to tell them anyway, you know.’_

 

_‘Was going to, but didn’t want to spoil the mood yet.’_ Too late now, you supposed.

 

“I… kind of had to… Reload a few times.” Mom’s eyes shrank to pinpricks, the idea of you being forced to use your powers sinking in. Asgore and Alphys didn’t know how to respond, shrinking back, while Undyne’s right hand got all twitchy. She looked like she was about ready to stab something. Or someone.

 

You had all but confessed to Sans that something had happened, his response to just lower his head, eye sockets closed. His smile seemed to be plastered on, covering up whatever he was pondering. Papyrus, though, didn’t quite get it.

 

“THERE IS NO SHAME IN HAVING TO TRY A FEW TIMES BEFORE GETTING THINGS RIGHT. WE ARE ALL ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES, FRISK, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE AS GREAT AS YOUR…” He stopped mid sentence, the link finally revealing itself to him. “DOES THAT MEAN YOU, YOU KNOW, DIED?” You gulped, the searing ache in your brain coming back, the tearing sensation of lightning rippling across your ribs.

 

“Three times.” Suddenly, you felt a warmth on your left. You looked down, finding Greater Dog, without the armor, had curled up at your side. He wasn’t putting his weight on any of your injuries, but his head was set on your chest. His puppy dog eyes couldn’t be ignored. You had the urge to scratch behind his right ear, assuring yourself that it was still there, but it was hard to follow through with Mom’s hand around your own.

 

“Frisk, I am glad you have finally let us in, but it still hurts to know that, in some other timeline, I was unable to protect you.” You did your hardest to not focus on the one that proved her statement false, for multiple reasons, one of which made you check for scratches beneath her eyes. You put on your bravest face, a resigned grin capping it off.

 

“It’s fine, really. You guys, you can’t bring yourselves back. I can. If I go, I go, then I come back. Like nothing ever happened. It’s…”

 

“Kid.” Sans had covered your mouth, his voice that one tone that made you painfully uncomfortable. There was no discussion with him when he was like that. “You and I both know that isn’t true. That pain, you never forget it, am I right?” A spark ran through you, Sans’s all seeing eye picking you apart with ease. That seriousness hid itself away when he finished, a certain softness taking its place.

 

“come on, you don’t have to be tough for us all the time. we still love you.”

 

What little wall you could construct at a moment’s notice started to crack, a small trickle of its reservoir brimming along your eyelids. You tried your hardest to move your right arm, to hold that part of your chest that still rang with lightning, that, to you, still smelled of smoke.

 

“It… it hurts.”

 

“i know, kid.” His free arm stroked a diagonal line across his ribs. “i know.” Your defenses fell, a torrent of frustrations, of guilt, of all your wounds spilling out. That warm feeling of Greater’s closeness grew, sliding up as he nuzzled under your chin. It expanded further as the loving arms of Mom closed around you.

 

“You will never suffer alone. Remember that, okay?” Having her here, all of your friends and family for that matter, made you think you could pull through. But, no matter how much it seemed like things were better, you knew they alone weren’t enough.

 

“Mom, think it’s time I… I got help.”

 

“We are here whenever you need us, you know that.”

 

“No, I mean, a psychologist. Maybe they could help me feel alright again, and stay that way.” The embrace tightened a little, as if by instinct, but softened before you could mention it.

 

“Very well. I will see who I can find.” A larger version of her hand took a spot on your shoulder.

 

“Whoever it is, I am certain they can help.” They were always so kind to you, always looking out for you. It felt good, having someone there if you needed them.

 

That’s why you needed to get better. You owed them the world, and you couldn’t pay it back if you gave up on them. They stood their ground for you, and you would do the same for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great news, guys! This should be it in terms of schedule breaks. You can thank a very slow day in the public educational system for that. Barring any unseen shin-anigans, it should be a straight shot from here to the end of the story.
> 
> And yes, this is the last hospital scene for a long, long while. I can imagine these bedridden scenes aren't too exciting, but necessary. You don't go punch threats in the face with broken legs. I mean, you could, but I don't think any of these guys are Goku.
> 
> Yet...


	19. A Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We all need, somebody to lean on~!"

You breathed in, then out. In, then out. You might have been the one to request being here, but that didn’t make things any less stressful. You were waiting in a small lobby, seated on an unremarkable, wood framed bench. It was soft enough to not hurt during or after use, but hard enough to tell you that it wasn’t meant for much more than ten minutes of use at a time.

 

At least you had the plush fur of Greater to keep your mind busy. He had plopped onto the floor in front of you, leaning to the side so you could still reach his head over the armor. You could feel his tail thumping against your leg casts, and the way he resisted leaning more into you. That would’ve hurt enough if you had been healthy at the time, but you knew it would’ve been excruciating if he gave into the urge now.

 

His jaw worked tirelessly at the best cut of steak you could afford. It was one of the few things keeping his mind off of a dream he had last night, along with you scratching around his right ear. You had tried to tell him to take the day off, but he was adamant about you not being alone in an unfamiliar location. If he wasn’t in the running for a promotion already, he would be by the time you were done.

 

“Ah, punctual are ve?” Your attention was drawn to the entrance. Standing there was a man you could only describe as kind of odd. Atop his head was a fedora. When he took it off to hang up for the day, it revealed buzz cut, silver hair. He didn’t strike you as old enough to have such a shade naturally, his pale skin wrinkle free. His light, white coat came off next, displaying a rainbow plaid shirt. No, you weren’t certain if that was actually a thing, but it was the only tag you could give the garment, matched in colors only by his shorts.

 

Well, technically they were swim trunks, but you didn’t need semantics at the moment.

 

“And you brought ze cute puppy guard! Who’s un good boy?” He was quick to pet Greater, his zeal almost like your own the first time you met him. “Oh, vait, zis isn’t, ah, rude, iz it?” You shook your head.

 

“Do it all the time.” The stranger let out a puff of breath.

 

“Good, good, und ‘ere I thought I, how you zay, goofed.” This close, you could make out the tag on the front of his shirt. It read ‘Doctor Pauly Baker’ in a font that reminded you of cursive.

 

“Doctor PB?”

 

“In ze flesh, little vun. But please, call me Pauly.” He held out his hand in a stiff, overly proper manner. It stuck out like a sore thumb when paired with his appearance and thick accent. You reciprocated the gesture, a curt handshake following. “My my, you zeem a might tense. Please, mine office iz right zis vay.”

 

You reached around either side of your seat, grabbing at the crutches as accurately as possible. It was harder than you would think without the ability to bend your arms. Standing was even harder, putting all of your weight into the metallic staves. Your body carefully lifted from the bench, all but the absolute minimum amount of your mass diverted away from your legs.

 

“I vouldn’t get too down if I vere you. Zese things ‘appen from time to time, and somevone like you vill bounce back in a few veeks.” True, but, according to the doctors, that next month would allow you all the mobility of a sloth. One arm in front of the other, you eventually made your way to the door he courteously held open. Greater Dog shifted his position, taking a rigid stance between the office and main entrance. “Ze cute puppy von’t be joining us?”

 

“Think he trusts you enough. Probably the petting.” Someone with a good aura giving him some proper TLC was enough to win him over. Emotion senses made it much easier to map out intent, which you could vouch for one hundred percent. It was because of them that you felt the sheer enthusiasm oozing from the walls.

 

_‘Someone must have a real zeal for their work. A good sign if I’ve ever seen one.’_

 

“Oh vell, ve ‘ave vork to do anyvay.” You swore his accent was getting more and more pronounced by the sentence. You weren’t the type to point out odd speech quirks, but his was getting rather distracting. “Iz something ze matter?” And he could tell. Wow this was embarrassing. “Iz it ze voice? Trust me, I von’t be upset. I’ve ‘eard it before.” You, hesitantly, nodded.

 

“First I’ve heard one like it. Kind of, off. Not insulting, just, uh…” He held up a palm.

 

“Alright, I get it. What say we get rid of it then?” In a surprising move, his voice changed to a very different tone. Instead of the old, bouncy manner of speaking, he was cool, collected, that type of guy who didn’t show his nerves too easily, but still seemed open and friendly.

 

“Fake?”

 

“Bingo, kiddo. Most kids usually get more cozy, open with their secrets if you can make them laugh. Guess you’re not like most kids then, eh?”

 

_‘Nail on the head. Quite the clever move, I must admit. And he was so fluent in it,_ _too.’_

 

_‘Must practice.’_ Honestly, he could have held it up the whole time and you wouldn’t have been able to call him out.

 

“The clothes for the same thing?” He glanced down at his rainbow puke attire.

 

“Nah, not really. I just think this stuff is cozy, not to mention colorful. Generally brightens the mood, you know?” It was hard to be upset with the essence of color staring back at you. These little tricks must have been why he was so recommended.

 

“Any who, what say we start up? Go ahead and take a seat while I get some drinks. Any preferences?”

 

-

 

You sipped at your bottle of tea, half sunk into the plushest chair you had ever seen. It felt like the fabric and stuffing of the otherwise normal looking psychiatrist seat was trying to eat you. Not that you minded. It was downright heavenly for your sore limbs. Now if only you could make actual progress.

 

“Your Mom mentioned that death has been a big sticking point for you lately. Care to tell me about it?” You thought long and hard about the details you should include.

 

“When it comes down to someone else going or me, I always choose me.” You kept Doctor Pauly in the corner of your eye, where you saw that soft grin of his twitch upwards a little bit.

 

“I see. Now, how did you get into that mindset in the first place?” You didn’t know how you should answer. Telling him the full truth would reveal secrets about yourself that would cause paranoia and fear in the general population. How would anyone react to a political figure with time powers?

 

Even if nothing came of that, a big ‘if’ by your calculations, that would still leave a gaping opening into the can of worms every monster and the closest supporters thereof left buried. You needed the help, but doing so would hurt everyone else around you.

 

_‘A catch twenty two.’_ You heard a heavier puff of breath, then a quiet drinking noise. Pauly was hiding his reaction by taking a large draw on his bottle of root beer, but you could see right through it.

 

“It must be something bad if you’re so determined to not talk about it. I get it, there are things that you want to hide from. I have secrets like that, too, but the only way your burden can get lighter is if you let someone else carry a part of it with you.”

 

“Not like that. Well, kind of, but not the main reason.” Interest painted itself across his face. “There are secrets that aren’t mine I’m holding. If everyone knew them, things could get bad. Fast.” A spark of understanding flashed in his eye.

 

“Figured as much. Politics are full of that sort of stuff. Not always for the reason people think, but they’re still there. And I’m guessing even with my code of confidentiality, you’re still nervous I might blab about it to everyone, right?” You nodded, thankful that you didn’t have to explain it. That would’ve run the risk of you sounding like a jerk with trust issues. “Is there something I could do to prove that my lips are locked tight?”

 

_‘You know, I’m sure you could get him to make a deal of sorts with someone.’_ Gaster was good at thinking on his feet.

 

“Could you promise someone I know?”

 

“I’m guessing this someone isn’t afraid of following through on a threat?” The doc wasn’t a slouch on that end, either. “Sure, sure, call up whoever you want. I’m sure you’ve got connections to people who like the truth. Big strong guys, a cop, maybe a judge…” That last one was exactly what you needed. You pulled out your phone, holding down the ’s’ key for speed dial. It was the customary ten seconds before he picked up.

 

“hey kid, need somethin’?”

 

“Hey Sans, could you come out here? Need a mediator.” You kept your tone as normal as you could, assuring him that it wasn’t a Beautiful Day situation.

 

“sure. be there in a few.”

 

“Thanks.” You hung up, counting down in your head.

 

“So, how long before your friend gets here?” Four, three… “If it’s long, I could put in a movie or…”

 

“‘sup, doc?” You were half expecting Pauly to jump out of his skin, like everyone did the first time they were Sansed, but he took it, well, mildly.

 

“Oh, how did you get there? Could’ve sworn the windows were locked.”

 

“it’d be a fibula to say those’d stop me.”

 

“So, you had some sort of skeleton key then?” Golly, your psychiatrist was just as bad as Sans.

 

You knew you made the right choice. Sans’s cheeky smile said he agreed.

 

“you could say that. so what’d ya need?”

 

“Frisk here hasn’t been all that open with me. I’m sure you see how that could be problematic. They say there are secrets involved that could tip the world on its head, and they don’t trust my word alone that anything revealed will stay between us.”

 

“so ya need me to hold you to it. i get it.” He winked your way. “thanks for lookin’ out for us, kid. what kind of deal did you have in mind?” You had something along the lines of a bad moment planned, but Pauly was a bit more to the point.

 

“If I squeal, that’d make me a traitor. So treat me as a traitor deserves.” He slid a finger along his neck, making his suggestion clear as day. Sans’s gaze got a little more intense.

 

“c’mon, little old me offing a doc? ya really think i’ve got the teeth for that?”

 

“Considering what kinds of crazy stuff monsters are capable of with that magic of yours, there’s a nine out of ten chance of you being able to kick my skin up and down the freeway. I, sir, am no gambler.” Apparently Sans believed him, lightening up a little. Literally.

 

“alright, let’s shake on it. you stay hushed, and i can let you go.” He held out his hand, met quickly with that of Pauly.

 

“You have a deal. Will that be enough, Frisk?” You nodded, knowing Sans wouldn’t let a threat fly. He was the judge, unrivaled in his field. If he couldn’t uphold the bargain, no one could. “Good! Now, what say we make some prog…” The alarm clock he had set up rang, alerting you both to the end of the session. It looked like progress would have to wait for next time, until he reached over and turned it off.

 

“Tell you what, let’s just keep going. One more hour, free of charge. Call it a special deal or the like.”

 

“buy one get one free. classic.” Not to mention nice. The thought of having a professional this invested in helping you, filled you with Determination.

 

“Now then, let’s start from the beginning. How did you wind up on Mt. Ebott?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold, the man my tired brain decided would be the perfect mental help for Frisk! ...Hey, it takes crazy to know crazy. Why not?


	20. A Lesson in Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do not doubt the quiet one.

Anyone who knew me knew I wasn’t easy to freak out. Fight with the king? No problem. Scary suit of armor? Give me now! It’d do wonders for my image. Evil thing pretending to be a human? Some other me went super on that creep, and still smiled as she died! I did the scaring around here, not the other way around.

 

But no amount of training, ego inflation, or hands on experience would ever make an angry Toriel a less intimidating figure.

 

“How many times have I told you that you are not to practice your cooking in this household?” Her booming, chiding tone echoed over the spray of Asgore’s fire extinguisher, though the crackling of the oven fire was getting to be less and less of a distraction.

 

“About fifteen, your Majesty.” Yeah, there was no way I would get away with calling her Tori when she was like this.

 

“Then why do you insist on doing so anyway?”

 

“Because the only way I’ll get better is with practice, time, and guts!”

 

“Your ‘practice’ nearly burned down our home! And I think once in a lifetime is more than enough.” I’m pretty sure that smoke I was smelling wasn’t coming from my attempt at spaghetti anymore. “Besides, you are missing one key factor, patience.”

 

“I only have so much time, your Majesty, and I’m not wasting it sitting around and doing noth…”

 

“You have missed the point!” And that’s what happened when I got too loose around her when she was stressed. “It pains me to do this, but I cannot allow you back into this house until you learn precisely what I mean. And yes, that is an order, Captain.” I felt my muscles tensing. I wanted to break something. And yet, I knew she could’ve slapped me into the dirt if I tried it now. Straight through the now crispy floorboards.

 

“Yes, your Majesty.” I managed to make it around the street corner before I put my fist through a tree. “Why the heck am I just taking this? I’m Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guard, not some street punk that needs to be scolded!” I knew I needed to chill, but I couldn’t help myself. My honor was being tarnished just because I was giving my all. If I didn’t calm down soon, the magic build up would’ve been too much to hold back.

 

“Undyne!” I was snapped out of that train of thought by a soft, yellow hand pulling my wrist out of the bark. “You know you shouldn’t go off in the middle of town like this.”

 

“Yeah Alph, but just, ARGH!” I didn’t let my arm jerk away from her for the fear of it dragging her along for the ride, but that didn’t stop me from stomping a hole into the sidewalk.

 

“Come on, I’ll help you get to your wind down spot.”

 

-

 

The riverside was a calming spot for someone like me. Flowing water always helped my kind focus, and the gentle breeze that continuously passed through was great for cooling off. It also helped that the birds learned to not nest in the nearby trees. There was a high chance of them getting knocked down by a furious fish.

 

“GRAH!” And a suplex for good measure. My timber based opponent now knew the power of Undyne, not that it would help him on the firewood pile. With the last of my rage vented, I flopped backwards on the tree trunk beside Alphys. She was always understanding enough whenever I started to boil over.

 

“How do you feel?” She handed me a bottle of water, which I was quick to use on my dried out throat and forehead.

 

“Better. Still pretty ticked, but better.” Having my personal teddy bear on hand really helped out, though.

 

“Do you wanna talk about it or something?” I couldn’t help but huff.

 

“I just don’t get it, Alph. I mean, the queen of all monsters should know how valuable passion is! She wants me to waste important moments doing nothing? What kind of sense does that make!?”

 

Alph’s next gift was my eyepatch. I’d almost forgotten that I took it off to make the steam get out a little easier. It felt like my magic was quicker to drain when the socket was exposed. I wiped excess water from the area, careful to not rub any of the raw, leathery scar tissue off, before putting the patch back on. Kind of weird that I couldn’t even remember how I wound up with a mark like that, but just having the one eye never really bothered me.

 

“I think she’s worried about what might happen if your snap judgment is wrong. Remember the Waterfall Incident?” The one reason why that whole part of the Underground felt so weird for me now? Hunting one of your best pals for upwards of three miles, attempting to (and succeeding at) killing them over and over again, wasn’t something you just forgot.

 

“Yeah yeah, but what about every other time? Remember how Gerson’s quick choosing saved all of monster kind from the Mad Dancer?” I had looked a bit closer at the histories of the other six humans before Frisk. There wasn’t a whole lot to go off of from the quick scribbles of monsters before they got dusted, but the rampage of the tutu clad human was still the stuff of nightmares. And all we got out of it was a pair of Souls.

 

That were now in the vines of that Flowey creep. For the record, I’d’ve ripped them out of him already if Frisk hadn’t stopped me from charging back up the mountain.

 

“Um, just a thought, but what if you asked Frisk for help? Their patience helped them get past you back then, right?” If it had been anyone else saying that out loud, I would’ve gotten mad. But I knew Alphys had the best interests at heart, so I actually rolled the idea around in my head. And the more it rolled, the more I found myself agreeing with it. They could wait through their own death, repeatedly! They would know what the heck Toriel meant better than anyone!

 

“Alphys, you’re a genius!” I planted a kiss right on her cheek. She got that same adorable grin as always, but she was better about the full body blushing. Now it was just her face. Still cute, though. “Catch you later, babe, I’ve got a kid to hunt down.” She was able to shake off the stun before I was out of ear shot.

 

“Don’t forget, I bought that Fullmetal Alchemist show for tonight!”

 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

 

-

 

Okay, I had to be getting close. I hoped I was. If everyone had seen right, Frisk headed back up Mount Ebott around noon. The sky was starting to go yellow with the sunset, all without a single report of them coming back down. The idea of them falling again hit me a few times, but I knew they didn’t have the heart to leave us hanging like that.

 

Not to mention Gassy’d probably do something to hold them back. Oh, and Greater Dog. That guy was a machine at his bodyguard duty. Even saw him giving the kid a lift a few times when the casts started hurting. If he kept that up, he’d be getting a big promotion by Summer.

 

I was almost at the peak when I saw them. They were sitting on a boulder, staring over a ridge at Ebott village. As I got closer, I noticed that they had the mask on, but there wasn’t any smoke flowing out of it. From what Alphys told me, wearing it like that made it easier for the punk and Gaster’s Determination to fuse into one pool.

 

“Clear.” The towering figure of Greater Dog stepped a few feet backwards, glancing down at something. Pleased with his new spot, he yipped, and Frisk took a deep breath. Their body relaxed, slumping over ever so slightly. If they hadn’t been stuck straight, their arms would’ve melted to their sides.

 

“Eternal…” The air in front of them started to shake. It was the smallest of vibrations, but that’s all I needed to spot a spell forming. From the middle of the disturbance, a single strand of static electricity was created. It, in turn, started to multiply. A ball of compacted lightning emerged, growing brighter and brighter with every second that passed. It was almost like there was a little star floating in the air over the cliff face.

 

“…Spark!” A ripple ran through the air, electricity expanding behind it. Looked kind of like what would happen if a jar vanished, releasing all the water inside to do whatever it wanted.

 

_‘They’re trying to use Gassy’s move?’_ Made sense to me. Gassy’d been at the DT game a lot longer. He’d be the one to know the tricks of the trade. Magic and DT could only be alike in so many ways, and even I’d have troubles teaching them about something magic couldn’t do.

 

The spark grew wider, bigger, more menacing. Around the rim of the mask, I caught Frisk sweating up a storm. The little bit of their face I could see was scrunched up like me when I tried to throw too big of a boulder. Their fingers were curling up under the mental strain.

 

It wasn’t long before their body gave out on them, any control they had over their attack fading. Lightning struck outwards in a hundred directions, though none went far enough to hit Frisk or Greater. One stray bolt clipped the cliffside, a rock the size of a truck dislodging from the wall. Gravity did its thing, dragging it down the mountainside.

 

The way it was going, it would have steamed straight through town, and whoever was in it. My muscles tensed, a second away from launching me after it until Greater took the initiative. He leaped from the ledge, tossing down his spear. It landed face first into the hurtling chunk of rock, shattering it into a thousand pebbles. He dropped after it, yanking his weapon from the ground it was lodged in before hurrying his way back up the sheer cliff face, using the pointed heels of his suit to make footholds. He was back at the kid’s side before I could blink, standing there like nothing happened.

 

And that’s why a guy in such bulky armor was hired to patrol the icy plateaus of Snowdin. He knew how to work around a mountain better than anyone else. Who built that rig anyway? Question for later. I had some orders to carry out first.

 

“Not bad, punk, but you still need some polish!” They lazily turned their attention to me, sucking in air like a two way vacuum.

 

“Hey Undyne, what’s up?” They took the time to be polite even when they were dead tired. Kind of sickening back when I thought it was a front, heartwarming as heck after I found out it wasn’t.

 

“I’ve got a question for ya. Think you could give me a sec?” That little gleam sped through their eye. The one sign I could find that meant they knew something.

 

“Mom’s order?” Of course she’d tell them. Probably figured they’d let me in if they were out of the loop, and Toriel was nothing if not strict about the rules she set up.

 

“You figured me out quick, didn’t you? Just tell me enough to get by and I’ll let you get back to your training. Sound good, punk?” I swore for a second I heard a clicking noise, like someone was snapping their tongue at me.

 

“Not that easy. Just saying a line isn’t enough. Mom has a way of knowing, trust me.” They would be one to know how tough that’d be. Okay, I was really glad I didn’t say that thought out loud. It was just awful.

 

“Come on, you’re telling me there’s something _profound_ or _special_ about sitting around and doing nothing? News flash, I got past that stage of magic training when I was three!” Frisk pulled the mask off, letting it dangle from the back of their neck. Their expression was serene, a lot like when I asked them about their philosophy about killing.

 

“More to it than that. Sit here, I’ll show you.” They patted the open bit of the rock. They had to have a point or something, and I did ask in the first place. Why not?

 

“Alright, now what?” They had the nerve to hush me, and I knew they would’ve done the finger in front of mouth gesture if their arms could bend that much. Chill Undyne, they had to have a point, just keep that in mind…

 

“Might sound a little rude, but how did I win when we fought? Besides running.” Darn, they knew what I was thinking. And yeah, it was a little rude, but I had it coming.

 

“You moved faster than my spears and kept the one I handed you moving to block shots.”

 

“Close, but not exact. Throw two spears at the ground.”

 

“Uh, okay…?” I lifted a hand, forcing magic out of my palm. The first one materialized, cutting through stone and dirt as I dropped it.

 

“One, two.” They muttered a countdown under their breath between impacts, stopping when the second one hit. “There’s a two second gap between spears. Used it to keep movement efficient. Saved enough energy to run when your Soul trap wore off.” They brained their way through my instinct.

 

“Okay, that’s a badass trick, but what’re you getting at here?” They looked me in the eye as they spoke.

 

“I only found the gap by watching and waiting. I was _patient_. Saw your moves coming, so I could dodge them. Get it?” Tracking an opponent’s moves in the middle of a fight was impressive and all, but they had, like, a hundred shots at me to work with.

 

“That works for you, but what about people who aren’t all chummy with time itself? How does this waiting stuff help us?” A frown started edging to the surface, but they buried it as quickly as it arrived.

 

“How about Pap? Didn’t beat me once, right?” True enough, and he was one of the toughest customers out there. Okay, I decided to bite.

 

“What was your big observation for him then?”

 

“He’s more nice than violent.”

 

…That was it?

 

“You know literally everyone knows that, right?” They giggled a bit, but I wasn’t sure why.

 

“But I knew how to work with it. See, he always talked about how he wanted a friend. Told him right from the start I wanted to be one. Slowed him down, but didn’t stop him. So I took things a little further and said date. That worked.” The little…

 

“So you took advantage of his loneliness to get by? Punk, if anyone else told me that, I’d noogie their head off.” They seemed taken back by their own wording.

 

“No way, meant what I said! Platonic dates exist, right?” Good point. “Besides, both had fun. If he ever finds someone special, they’ll be happy. Know it.” They showed him they cared, so he let them go on, and they both got a good friend to boot.

 

“Alright, that’s two…”

 

“Mettaton liked his show more than he hated me, so I made it good for the people at home. Who doesn’t like a good villain?” I saw one of those recordings before they were all burned or chucked down Waterfall’s abyss, and Frisk was acting their little heart out.

 

“Three…”

 

“Mom only wanted to scare me, not hurt me, so her attacks avoided me when I was too hurt.” Four…

 

“Asgore used same fire magic as Mom, and he wanted to fight about as much as me. Helped me last until he ran out of steam.” Five…

 

“Ice Cap…”

 

“Pyrope…”

 

“Shyren…”

 

“Okay, I get it!” My cry of frustration snapped them out of their explanation of every single monster they fought. I jumped to my feet, letting my anger get the best of me. “It’s the base of how you get out of fights without hurting people. It works for you, I get that, but I’m not you! I fight with spears, out power my enemies! I break them before they can attack me! What good is this watching and waiting to me?”

 

“What if the threat isn’t something you fight?” That stopped me dead in my tracks out of confusion.

 

“What kind of a threat don’t you fight!? You’re not making sense here!” They took a deep breath.

 

“When Asriel was in his Hyperdeath form, he was immune to attacks. If I hadn’t looked deep inside him, felt the way the Souls inside him affected the whole, I might still be in that void. Fighting him in a pointless battle to the end of time.”

 

“The first time Chara encountered an Amalgamate when they had my body, they were unable to fight them. Amalgamates bend around attacks, then screech your ears off. That fight stopped them long enough for everyone else to run away, all because they didn’t think about what would happen if you tried to hit sentient water.” Funny they would mention water then. Their mouth sounded like it was starting to dry out.

 

“When I was younger, the house was all in a blur. The smell of good food, praise for good grades, the thought of apple cinnamon pie. I was having a ball. I got distracted. If I just kept my eyes open…” My Soul dropped when the tears started to flow. “I-if I was a-actually use- _*hic*_ ing my head…” Their arms tensed, wrapping themselves in electricity. The light coating exploded outwards as they screamed to the sky.

 

“MAYBE THEY’D STILL BE **ALIVE!”** They shot up out of their seat, standing on their casted legs without a hint of an issue. It was like the pain they were in, the way their legs buckled beneath them, yet couldn’t topple due to the casts, meant nothing. I could barely move, the air getting heavy like a steel blanket.

 

“The wire was just sticking out there, sizzling away where any old dolt could have seen it!” Greater pushed through the veil, wrapping his arms around Frisk. His armor attracted the uncontrolled lightning like a magnet, absorbing it before it could do any damage and releasing it into the ground. Frisk’s power slowly started to shut down, the mask glowing a bottomless shade of purple. “If I had been thinking about more than just pie and pride, maybe… maybe…”

 

“Frisk, breath. All is well. Please, settle…” I could hear Gaster’s voice echoing around us. The more he said, the easier and easier it became to move. As soon as I was able to walk again, I moved in close enough to put a hand on the punk’s shoulder.

 

“…Sorry. Doc said not to hold too much in, and…”

 

“I get it. Build up’s a real pain, right?” It looked like that much was the same for both magic and DT. They nodded, skin going pale as their body tried making up for the burnt energy.

 

“Need… minute…” Sometimes, it was hard to remember that the kid was… well, a kid. They always seemed so in control of everything they did, so sure of their actions.

 

It was those few times where things got out of hand that I stopped and remembered that a little kid went through all of that junk. Their parents, the Underground, the responsibility of being some sort of time lord, all of it. Maybe that’s why they needed to be in control so badly, why they…

 

I think the tingly feeling in the back of my mind at that moment was an epiphany.

 

“Now… I know better. Watch everything, remember it.”

 

There were small details in the world around me. These details could’ve been the difference between failure and victory, life and death. Not just for me, but for everyone I loved.

 

“Won’t let it happen again.”

 

The signs could have been anything. An opponent’s attack patterns, their personality, even something as little as a wire sticking out where it shouldn’t. Most people would miss such little things. But Frisk made it a point to find them. All because they knew what happened when they didn’t.

 

“I refuse.”

 

Suddenly, I felt my knees going soft on me, landing me right on my butt. I remembered all those times my cooking practice wound up with things getting caught on fire. How many times did I put someone at risk doing that? How many times could it’ve all been avoided? Alphys, Frisk, Pap, Toriel… Just about everyone I loved was in harm’s way because I didn’t see the obvious. I knew what Toriel meant.

 

“…Thanks, punk. I owe you one.”

 

“It’s fine. Just, keep an eye open, alright?” I nodded, giving their hand a little shake.

 

“You can count on me, punk!” Looking them in the eye, I noticed just how tired they were. All of the training and that outburst must’ve been draining. And, glancing up, Greater wasn’t doing much better, but he was too focused on calming Frisk’s nerves by nuzzling into their neck to realize. “Say, you two need some help getting back to town?”

 

“No thanks, need a little more rest. You just go on. Date night, right?” Oh crud, I almost forgot! “Go on, and have fun. That’s an order!” Heh, right, kid of the queen and all.

 

“Yes, your Majesty.” I gave them the traditional salute before rushing off. I took my job seriously, after all, and there was no way I would let Alphys down again.

 

I was a few hundred feet off when a voice rumbled down the mountain. A voice I had linked with a selfish killer and a root of Tori and Asgore’s misery. Now, it was the call of a terrified child.

 

“Frisk, RUN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They have heard the most.
> 
> Oh, and, special occasion, this and the next two chapters are sort of linked. I won't explain much more, but you should count on another update tomorrow. And probably Monday, depends on how cruel school feels that day.
> 
> Happy almost Summer, everyone!


	21. Nature of Possession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What type of being does it take to claim the form of another?

You looked left and right, making sure the roads were all clear. It was easier to stay hidden before sunrise, but you weren’t one to gamble. It was a good thing you had an ace up your sleeve.

 

“Brutus sees no one.” As much as you loved and trusted Greater, he was still obligated to report everything the two of you did at the end of the day. Even if he promised to stay silent, there was still a chance of your plans getting out, and then his employment would be in jeopardy. No way you would let that happen on your watch.

 

Brutus, however, had a lot less to lose. He might have gotten grounded for a while, but that’s about it. You still didn’t like the risk, but he was hard to shake when he put his mind to something.

 

-

 

_“So, knife man who took Lansot maybe controlled like Frisk was?” You nodded, confirming that he had heard you correctly. You needed someone to help cover for you while you were out, and a study session with your best human friend was the perfect way to get out of the house. Now you just needed to convince him to say you were with him that morning getting ready for Monday’s test._

 

_“So, cover me?” Brutus was quiet for a few seconds, eyes closed. He was thinking about something, but you weren’t sure what._

 

_“Frisk need help, Frisk get help. But Frisk need more help than Brutus.” He picked up his cell phone from the bedside desk, dialing in a number you recognized. It rang twice before the person on the other side picked up, fully audible thanks to the speaker function._

 

_“Hey Brute, ‘sup?” You didn’t think you would ever understand Pierce’s sleeping habits. It was like he could run off four hours no problem, letting him wake up at two A.M. without even baggy eyes to show for it. Sure, Papyrus usually only got ten minutes in per night, but he was also a magical talking skeleton. Rules weren’t as strict for him._

 

_“Frisk needs help. Thinks man who hurt Lansot possessed.”_

 

_“…Uh, dude, you know how nuts that sounds, right?” He wasn’t exactly ‘in the loop’ like Brutus was, come to think of it. You gestured for him to hand the phone over._

 

_“Things you don’t know. Can’t say what, sorry.” You crossed your fingers, hoping his demand for answers wouldn’t be too strong._

 

_“We’ve all got secrets, pal, that’s the way it works. So, I’m guessing you need the police house cleared out so you can talk to him or something?” He had a disturbingly accurate mind when it came to sneaky plans, apparently._

 

_“It would help. You don’t have to if you…” He was quick to cut you off._

 

_“Chill, I got this. A few alarms going off on the far side of New Haven should get us some results.” You had no idea how Pierce knew what he did about electronics, but you were glad he did. You just needed a way to pay him back. “Oh, and if you’re gonna treat this like some sort of debt, like you always do, just teach me your recipe for lavender tea. Seriously, I get my best work done on that stuff.”_

 

_“Deal.”_

 

-

 

One tripped alarm (and an emailed tea recipe) later, you were cleared for entering the police office unhindered for one hour, minimum. Pierce had guaranteed you that much. You would’ve left alone at that point, but Brutus wouldn’t dream of letting you out on your own while you were injured. He knew you were more than strong enough to protect yourself normally, not to mention you had Gaster floating around to watch your back, but as far as he was concerned, you needed a bouncer at the moment.

 

And a ride, if your placement on his shoulders was any sign. How did a twelve year old get so tall? Talk about winning the genetic lottery, right down to the secondary prize of silver hair.

 

Your target was in sight now, police HQ. All the lights were off, the one officer on duty away looking into the triggered alarm. You justified it to yourself by saying it was probably a boring shift anyway. No one would be hurt, they would be out of the station, and you would get to see what you could do about Andrew. Wins all around in your book. Brutus slipped you both inside before gently setting you on the ground.

 

“Frisk go talk with man. Brutus watch for police.” You gave him a thumbs up.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Can thank Brutus when finished. Go on, Frisk is on clock.” He made an excellent point, you pushing yourself into high gear. As high as you could get on crutches, anyway.

 

The door to the impromptu cell block was left open. You took it as an invitation, letting yourself in. You found two cells there, one on each side. The left was empty, severely rusted, and all around unpleasant. The right was in much better condition, to the fortune of its sole occupant.

 

You could only vaguely recognize the man anymore. He had let his facial hair go, a light coating of brown hairs running from his jaw to under his ears. The follicles atop his head hung low, covering his eyes. Worst of all, his body was half its previous width, ribs almost visible under the orange jumpsuit, despite having a very full bowl of stew sitting right in front of him. He was a miserable sight in every sense of the word.

 

“Back early, sir?” He must have thought you were the on duty cop. All he had to go on was the sound of your crutches clicking across the ground, which might have sounded like footsteps to someone only half paying attention.

 

“No, still out.” You didn’t need to see his eyes to notice the shock that went through him. Andrew slowly looked up, revealing pupils shrunk to the size of pinheads and an almost completely reddened pair of scleras. He hadn’t been sleeping at all lately.

 

“Y-you… You’re here for me, aren’t you?” Technically, yes, but not at all for what he thought. He was jittering away from you, his muscles too weak to get him far. “Ookay, the k-keys are on y-your right. Just… m-m-make it quick.” You glanced there, seeing that he was telling the truth. You took them from their hook, slowly tapping your way along to his cell door. It unlocked with a click, swinging wide open for you.

 

The clicking of your crutches accompanied you across the room, stopping only when you decided to take a seat next to him on the bed. He seemed split between jumping away from you and laying there, accepting his ‘fate.’ Well, you never liked that concept anyway.

 

“Not here to hurt you. Know the flower you saw.” His shakes calmed a little, letting him get a somewhat steady look at you.

 

“Y-you mean, he’s w-with you?”

 

“Not exactly, but close enough. Scary voice made you do it?” He pushed himself off his back, leaning against the wall his bed was set along.

 

“It s-sounds nuts, but it’s true! It was deep, kind of growly, kept lying to me about who killed Johnny. I was so out of it that I actually listened. I know you don’t believe me, but please, I’m so, so sorry. I don’t care if I rot here the rest of my life. I deserve it, just please believe me when I say how sorry I am. If I could do anything for you, for the kid, I would, in a heartbeat, too, but please, I…” You set a hand on his shoulder.

 

“I believe you. On both points.” His eyes widened in wonder. “If you still wanted revenge, you’d already be jumping me. Besides, I’ve had… paranormal encounters, too.” You trusted him enough with that one piece of information. Even if he did talk about it, no one would take him seriously. It was sad, but true. “Almost let bad things happen. Bad, bad things. A lot like you, really.” Lansot’s panicked face flashed in the back of your mind, one of the most scarring occurrences on that long list of painful ordeals. “Just wanted you to know, I believe you. And forgive you.”

 

You sat stock still as he slid closer. He patted your back, then your stomach, as if making sure you were really there. Then the dam broke, his already leaking eyes turning into waterfalls.

 

“Thank you, Mr… Mrs… Ambassador. Thank you so, so much. I know I’m in here for a long time, but if I can do anything…” You took the bowl of stew, setting it in his lap.

 

“Try to get better. Not eating isn’t healthy for you. I’ll see what I can do. Probably not much, but you never know. Alright?” He glanced between you and the decent smelling meal, his drastically receded stomach growling.

 

“God bless you, and your family.” He got on your request immediately, digging into the stew with as much gusto as he could manage. You were about to leave when Gaster chimed in.

 

_‘You know, he may be our best lead as to who this new phantom is.’_ You hadn’t even thought of that, but it was a good idea. Assuming he was doing well enough to answer you, he was your only source of knowledge on the mysterious deep voice.

 

“Actually, there is one more thing. Can you tell me anything about the possession?” He slowed down, eyes growing somber. “Someone wants to hurt monsters, and they can be anyone. If you know something, anything, it might save them all. Please.” He broke under your pleading, readily parting with what he could recall.

 

“Let’s see, I was, uh, drinking heavy, half way to passed out drunk when I heard it. It was clawing at my brain, and my arms got harder to move. It said something like, “Your friend was openly against monsters, correct? Who is to say they did not simply remove him? It makes sense to me.” He kept going on like that for a while, and then I blacked out.”

 

“When I came to, I was on the ground in front of you. You, or whoever that was talking, was reading my mind, threatening me. Everything was too numb to move, and, for a while, I could only remember little bits of what happened. It’s all there now, but the idea of getting turned into a puppet… It’s terrifying.”

 

You agreed with him there. Even when they only controlled you for part of the journey, every second Chara was at the wheel, you were paranoid. What would they do in your body next? Who was going to die? You wouldn’t have wished that kind of fear on anyone. You only had to take a look at the shaking mess it turned this guy into to say that much.

 

_‘It seems that is all he knows on the matter.’_ The memory loss would make everything but the broad strokes hard to pin down. On top of that, he looked about ready to fall apart as was. You decided against pushing him for more.

 

“That’s enough. Don’t push yourself too hard.” You rubbed his back, letting him get back to his meal. You glanced at a clock on the wall, thinking it was as good a time as any to get out of there. It wasn’t a good idea to get caught if you could help it, mostly because the fallout it might have caused both in the political and social fields. You were mostly worried about having to explain all this to Lansot in a worst case scenario. Poor kid still had nightmares about the situation, and now you were getting buddy-buddy with the man behind it. “Should get going before cop gets back.”

 

“Alright. The, uh, s-suits on top wouldn’t l-like you being here, right? God bless you, and your people.” You reached out and gently shook his hand before making for the door.

 

_‘May I speak for a moment?’_ You didn’t expect Gaster’s request, but you complied, knowing that little twinge in his voice. It only showed up when he felt guilty. You pulled the mask over your face, looking back at Andrew so he saw the black fog envelop it.

 

“And for the record, I apologize for scaring you so. I become a mite zealous when someone I care for is in danger, you know?” His breath hitched for a second, but steadied when he felt no further danger.

 

“I-it’s… I get it. Protecting people you love’s the r-right thing. They’re lucky to have you, Mr…?”

 

“Most people who know me call me Gaster. Don’t go spreading my identity around willy nilly, if you would. Bit of a close knit secret.” Andrew nodded, a sign that you had his compliance. “Very good. I do hope you get better, and should we ever meet under better circumstance, perhaps I could interest you in some tea. I know an excellent recipe for lavender.”

 

-

 

You sat atop Mount Ebott, a few yards from the very peak, reflecting on your day.

 

There was no better place in the area to think, what with the excellent view of the village below and the soothing aura of the mountain itself. Right now, Andrew would hopefully be renewing his lost nutrition, Brutus and Pierce would be going about their normal business, and everyone else would be none the wiser. A quick ride home after your ‘study session’ and you were back in your domain without any changes aside from the joy of a good deed. Your Determination was through the roof!

 

It was so abundant, in fact, Gaster had declared it a perfect opportunity to train up your DT control. He even offered his assistance learning his Eternal Spark technique. It was a stroke of luck that your best focus spot was far enough away from town to double as a training ground. The distance, however, also prompted Greater to follow you there, not that you minded. He was a big help on the one or two occasions your lightning lost too much control.

 

The seclusion even helped Undyne let all her frustration loose. Helping her out was a jumbo cherry topping the sundae that was your day. As she headed back down the trail, you paused for a bit, clearing out the last emotional bubbles from your little break down. The display wasn’t planned, but it helped let off some steam. Doctor Pauly had the right idea with this ventilation.

 

“Kid, there’s big trouble! Big, big trouble!” You were torn from your thoughts by the worried rambling of Flowey. Greater was a bit more on edge, shown only by the tightened grip on his spear, but stayed down out of respect for your care for him.

 

“What…?” He latched vines around your upper arms, using your body as leverage. He pulled himself right up to your face.

 

“No time! You need to get Sans, now, I think…!”

 

“It’s not nice to talk behind someone’s back, bro.” Your heart skipped a beat as that voice scraped at your inner ear. Your eyes focused on the road behind Flowey. Standing there, in flesh as red as your Soul, was Chara, grin stretched across their face. “I think someone has to teach you some manners.” You wouldn’t have been surprised if your heart stopped. True to their word, the demon had returned. You were only barely able to hear Flowey’s distressed plead.

 

“Frisk, RUN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mysteriously sneaky beings, apparently. Who knew?


	22. Carnation of Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Flowey, where've you been?

It was the perfect opportunity for me. The little idiot made their way to New Haven that morning, taking my advice about a certain ‘kidnapper’ if I was right. And I knew I was. That meant this flower could bloom in peace. You know, reach my petals wide and see what I could pick up. Really dig the roots in to see how far the rabbit hole…

 

I wanted to look into things, okay? Ugh, thinking sly was getting harder and harder, mostly thanks to that voice that just popped in at random times, no rhyme or reason. When I tried squeezing it for intel about the deep voiced possessor, it was out of the office or something. But if I even caught a whiff of something sweet, especially chocolate, it rang in with…

 

_‘Not gonna try some?’_ With that! It was trying my patience, and let me tell you, I was all out.

 

_‘No I’m not gonna try some. I’m a flower! Flowers don’t eat chocolate! Now,_ _unless you want to help me with this case, BUZZ OFF!’_ Silence followed. Finally. It was time to put my plan into action.

 

I wasn’t a fan of these big cities. There wasn’t much elbow room, it was all too easy to get spotted, and, worst of all, the air was absolutely soaked in the stench of human B.O. and car fumes. Didn’t any of these people shower!? Still, there wasn’t much chance of a pack of desperadoes getting sent down to some small town jail. My leaves were tied.

 

I poked my head through the floor of the main cell block. And it was a proper cell block, too, with hall after hall full of inmates. Good thing ‘terrorists’ usually got their own wing.

 

A wing packed tight with security. Gee, I wonder what I should do to get past… Omega Flowey activate! I didn’t really care about subtlety at this point. As long as I kept that me and flower me separate in the eyes of the attention deficit world, I would be fine. Now where was I?

 

“Stay back, demon!” Oh, right, fuzz to get rid of.

 

“I’m here to finish what I started. So, WANNA RUMBLE!?” There was a rumble, but mostly the kind that happened when people ran away very quickly. Fighting gods wasn’t in their work contract. Who could blame them? Heh, cowards. I stuck my screen up to the bars, where I saw the ten perps I wanted. They were all staring at the floor, chained just out of reach of one another on the walls.

 

“Hey guys, I like your new place. Really has that ‘I just messed up big time’ feel to it. Suits you.” They were all quiet. Not even a cough to break things up. Talk about sacks of joyless flesh. Hey, maybe they were hearing the voice, too?

 

“Come on, out with it, tell me what’s wrong. Hey, morons, I KNOW YOU’RE ALIVE! I SEE YOU BREATHING! TALK!” Still nothing. I had my vines wrapped around the bars, ready to launch them in and start strangling. The one closest to me jumped, but not in the way I expected. His hands were locked behind his back, so when he leaped forward, all he had to attack me with was his teeth.

 

The crazy was an inch from biting me before I backed up.

 

“I DO THE SCARE TACTICS AROUND HERE, NOT YOU.” I wish they actually listened to me, because the collective laugh that followed was… I mean, would have been effective against anyone but me. They all started chuckling, air starting to weigh down more and more. Then it turned into a full maniacal laugh. Their screeching echoed all the way out of the prison, rending lesser beings of their…

 

Okay, I was scared. I’m man enough to admit it. but can you blame me? That laugh was like the ringtone of the reaper itself, blaring out of ten phones at once. It was a sound that terrified me more than any other.

 

It was _their_ laugh. The one with the chompers started to talk.

 

“Hey Asriel, what’s the deal? I thought you’d be all for tonight’s big event.” As he looked up at me, eyes locking on mine, I lost any arguments I had towards who I was talking to. Those bright, red eyes and that high, scratched up voice could only belong to Chara.

 

“Yeah, you’re all about the killing now, right?” The next one in line spoke up, her eyes showing the same crimson hue. The other eight, one by one, added their gazes to the mix. My control over the Determination inside me faltered, reverting me back to my base flower form.

 

“We’ll finally get rid of that little twerp that’s been messing with us for all these timelines.”

 

“Isn’t that great?”

 

“Then all the EXP we’ll ever want can be ours.”

 

“Yeah, a real feast!”

 

“I want sushi!”

 

“I want some goat steak a la bone!”

 

“I just want to stab Jerry. Hate that guy.”

 

I backed away, not knowing how to react. How did Chara get ahold of so many people at once? I had to warn them. Idiot or not, they were the only one who could keep the Save controls away from the mass murderer.

 

“Don’t be like that, Asriel. There’s a spot there for you, too.”

 

“The salad bar!”

 

I blocked out anything else they said, their horrible laughter ringing in my head all the way to Ebott.

 

-

 

I burrowed as quickly as I could up the cliff trail. The kid’s footprints headed up the path, right next to the tracks of the big dog and the fish. Good, we’d need all the help we could get. I spotted them squat on a rock near the peak. The sight of one of my worst nemeses, for once, filled me with Determination. It couldn’t fuel a Save anymore, but it was all the nitro I needed to close the gap.

 

“Kid, there’s big trouble! Big, big trouble!” They looked my way, confusion painted on their face.

 

“What…?” I wrapped vines around their shoulders, hefting myself up to face height.

 

“No time! You need to get Sans, now, I think…!”

 

“It’s not nice to talk behind someone’s back, bro.” My throat dried up as I turned to the newcomer. Standing there, skin and clothes dyed redder than blood, was Chara. The grin crossing their face told me all I needed to know about their intentions. “I think someone has to teach you some manners.” I was able to force my lungs to work well enough to get two words out.

 

“Frisk, RUN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks left, looks right* I felt like writing horror for once...
> 
> ...I'm not apologizing.


	23. Meeting of Equals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Souls, ever locked in conflict.

Adrenaline flooded your system, DT shivering in your veins. You sprang to your feet, sliding your crutches into place before your full weight landed on the limbs. Your arms felt numb, still recovering from your show of rage. You would have to make due with what you had, placing Gaster’s mask over your face. If you knew Chara, you knew you would need all the armor you could find.

 

You locked eyes with Chara, a knife slipping out from their sleeve. Your focus centered on their eyes, even as their weapon swung around in the air. What you did see was that it wasn’t any ordinary knife like the one employed back underground. The handle was thick, black as night, and the blade shined like a crescent moon. You didn’t want it anywhere near your skin, but the chances of you getting away unscathed were shrinking by the second. Just as the tension peaked, a cue for the first clash, Greater forced himself between you.

 

“Aww, what a cute puppy! Hey, fido, you remember when _we_ played fetch? You’re good at it, too, catching my blade in your gut like that!” His ears slid back, lips pulling up to show off his teeth. Each one glowed bright white and was pointed like the tip of a spear. His eyes narrowed, locked on his prey. Greater clearly remembered that ‘game,’ and liked it about as much as you.

 

He reeled back, chest plate puffing up as his arms tensed outwards. A ground shaking howl burst from his lungs, the very mountain beneath you quaking in terror. His magic came to life, fur standing on end, a white glow rising from each strand. The wolf had awoken.

 

“Alright, party time!” Chara closed the gap between them in one step, knife swinging in an upward arc. Greater slid around their left side, left palm raised above their head. It came down, barely missing Chara. The force of his strike opened wide cracks in the earth, arm sinking nearly a foot into the soil. The right arm wasn’t in the correct position for a spear stab, so he put all of his weight into a punch. It landed, sending Chara flying into the mountainside. They were left in a crater too deep to see in.

 

He didn’t get angry often, but when he did, he showed exactly why he had the title of Greater.

 

“The Hell’s going on!?” You were so riveted on Greater’s display, you didn’t hear Undyne coming up behind you. She arrived just in time to see Chara lazily prying themselves out of the rock.

 

“Ugh, bad doggie…” Their scarlet eyes locked on him, dazed scowl growing to an even fiercer, gleeful snarl. “And a bad pooch needs to be punished!” Their red aura grew stronger, blurring a few smaller bodily details, their hair flowing like a bonfire. “Red rover, red rover…”

 

“Nope!” A blue spear hurtled through the air, lodging itself in their right ribs. Undyne had impeccable aim at the worst of times. “Greater, Frisk, you two get Sans. Flower thing, you’re with me.”

 

“What makes you think I’m sticking around any longer than I…!?” The sound of flesh tearing echoed past you. Back by the crater, Chara had ripped the spear from their body, crushing it with their free hand. The wide, normally lethal wound shined an even deeper hue, the hole closing up slowly. Five seconds was all it took to erase the attack from existence.

 

“Because it’s help me now, or fight that thing alone later.” Undyne took her unarmored battle stance, legs spread apart to support motion in all directions, spear held across her body to respond to both attacks and openings. Flowey slid over to her side in the ground.

 

“Stupid fish and her good points.” He eyed you, anger radiating from his gaze. “Get out of here! If you die, they get the timeline, idiot!” He made an excellent point, too.

 

“Be back soon.” You were about to hop on Greater for the trip back down, but a stream of fire came between you.

 

“No escaping from this fight, Frisk!” Flames spread outwards, weaving patterns into the earth. It essentially became a fence, keeping you penned in with Chara. One more wall is all it took to keep the others out.

 

“Punk, keep moving! We’ll find a way in ASAP! Greater, boost me.” Undyne tried using him as a springboard, but the wall always stayed a few feet too high to leap over. “Damn it, you little freak! Don’t you have any honor?” Their only response was to laugh.

 

“Who needs honor when you have fun? And trouncing this pain in my neck once and for all sounds like fun to me.” Fingers slid over the sides of their knife, the blade doubling in length as fire wrapped around it. “En guard!”

 

You didn’t have any choice but to fight. The casts made movement hard, so you needed a way to protect yourself. You leaned into your left crutch, raising the right skyward. You let DT envelop the tip, the rubber stopper shifting into the razor edge of your sword. Lightning flowed from the false steel like water. Once your answer to their threat was ready, they charged forth, burning blade zipping in every direction.

 

You did your best to meet each swing with one of your own, but it was difficult. You were a dodger, made to dash between attacks, not deflect them. You tried putting up barriers over your skin, but only managed to cover your forearms. It helped the two or three times your aim was off, but it would only hold for so long. Finally, you were able to trap their weapon between the razor edges of you sword, holding it in place.

 

“Look at you, all rough and tumble even when you’re all busted up! I knew you’d be a fun time, Frisk, real fun. No matter how many of you I fight, I never get tired of it. You’re my favorite toy, and how I love to break a toy!” Their leg shot out, sweeping yours out from under you. You fell on your sword arm, dropping it in the blinding pain. Those dull aches had turned into screaming agony, vision dotting white as the nerves went off. You were brought back to the outside world by the clatter of metal, Chara kicking your crutches away.

 

“Welp, I think this is checkmate. See you soon, partner!” They reversed the grip on their dagger, holding it up above your gut. You closed your eyes, unable to force yourself to move. You anticipated its searing touch, charring your intestines as it pierced the skin…

 

…but it never came. All you registered was the strained growling of Chara.

 

“That’s my idiot, find your own!” You slid your eyes open, vision just good enough to see the massive vines enclosing the entirety of Chara’s arms. They flailed against the grip as Flowey strained to hold them still. “And stop squirming!” You could see the creases in his face. He was trying to expand, to bloom into the grotesque Omega form that had embedded itself in your nightmares, but it was easier said than done while holding back one of the most determined forces in the world.

 

“Not on your life. In fact…” With their reversed grip, it was easy to leave a scratch on the plant mass binding them in place. Flowey howled in pain as the DT entered his body. He was forced to sever his ties to the tendril to avoid the fire storm racing through its veins, the sharpened edge of a smaller vine the only method he knew. “Scram, pipsqueak!”

 

Their blade was back in the normal position, and they were ready to pounce on the new disturbance.

 

“Look out!” Despite all his flaws, Flowey still held a certain place in your heart. Maybe it was your sympathy for his lost life. Maybe it was your natural desire to help those less fortunate. Maybe it was that single tie between him and Asriel you could never forget. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t let you leave Flowey out to dry.

 

That’s why you jumped on Chara’s back, digging your teeth into their shoulder for a decent hold.

 

“Gah, let go, psycho!” They weren’t one to talk about instability, and you would have said as much if your mouth wasn’t doing something important. The way they struggled, flinging themselves in every direction to shake you loose, made your grip start to slide. It was only expanding your canine teeth with electricity, digging them into the faux flesh, that let you stay put. “I said, knock it off!” They slammed, back first, into a wall, a sting rippling across your back, but still you stayed there. They could do anything they wanted to you, but it wouldn’t hurt as much as failing your friends.

 

“Leave the puns to Smily!” A pair of vines burst through the skin on either side, barely missing you. “He’s better at ‘em.”

 

“You’ll get yours, bro, as soon as this little stain gets bleached!” Finally realizing what they were still holding, you felt an excruciating heat lodge itself in your left hand. It felt like magma had replaced your blood, flowing through your body. You had no choice but to let go, pushing yourself as far away as possible, clutching your hand the whole way. When you landed, you noticed some of the skin was blackened by the heat, and the hand refused to open and close without your muscles protesting.

 

“Get up, punk! The Frisk I know’s too tough to go out that quick.” A spear snapped on the firewall between you and Undyne, Greater’s more sturdy model, though staying intact, barely leaving a dent. “What would Toriel say if you up and died on her now?”

 

…That was right. You couldn’t leave her alone. You promised, but that wasn’t all. If you died, you might never have gotten to see her again. You didn’t know what was waiting for you after death, but you refused to take a chance. You, sluggishly, carefully, slid your relatively good arm beneath you. It hurt to push yourself up, but you could bare it.

 

You had to, for her sake. For your family’s sake. You couldn’t let Chara win.

 

You wouldn’t let them win.

 

You REFUSED.

 

Your right eye started to burn, but you ignored it. You were too fixated on Chara to care. They flinched away from you, breathing becoming irregular. They were only just able to put together enough nerve to stay rooted in place, snarl much less amused.

 

“You think you’re hot stuff, eh? Well, you’ll have to be more determined than that to beat me, kid. You’ve had your time, Frisk, now it’s my turn. So just die!” Their Determination exploded, launching their form at you, wreathed in flame. The point of their knife capped the makeshift missile, promising a swift end to whoever it crossed. You stood stock still, letting them get closer, closer… You could see the sunlight reflecting off their bloodshot eyes.

 

That was your cue to sidestep them, circling around to their rear. With the split second opening, you swung your hand outwards, magic racing to and through your palm. By the time your arc crossed theirs, a sword had materialized in your grip, leaving a rip in the back of their sweater. They were too far away to hit flesh, but your point had been made. If they wanted victory, they would have to earn it. They stopped ten feet away, swinging around to display their displeasure.

 

“You tore my favorite shirt, you dirty…!” You closed the gap while they were blathering away, taking another swing. They tried to back off again, far enough to avoid a critical blow. You only managed to leave a thin diagonal cut beneath their left eye.

 

“That’s for Mom.” You zipped forward again, a faint, yellow glow reflecting off the inside of the right eyehole in your mask. You charged through the sunlight’s glare, ignoring it in favor of landing more attacks. You slipped around them again, leaving a mark in the middle of their back, one bad dodge away from slicing the spine.

 

“Papyrus.” They met you head on, blocking your swings with their knife. Rage forced itself to the surface, your Soul burning with the need to protect your family. You poured Determination into your brain, trying to block out your inhibitors. You wouldn’t let a stray thought or guilt stop you, even if, for a brief instant, you had to be someone else. If it came down to it, you had no quarrels with losing control. Any and all spare power flooded into your blade, the edge sparking like the heart of a thunderstorm.

 

“And this, is for Sans.” The build up in your arm released, all of the power you could muster put behind a single swing. _‘Let the judge’s gavel fall.’_ The last blow was aimed, your calculations saying their ribs would be unable to resist. “Special move, Hurricane Hack.” Their expression was one of terror, that split second showing more regret than you believed they were capable of. It would have cried to your heart had you not forced it into silence. Then, in a micro instance, their face changed. Their eyes pierced your being, exposing you to the true wrath of the world eater, before the left one glowed even brighter.

 

There, overlaying the iris, was a ring of pure, crimson energy, burning with the will of a heartless killer. In that moment, your strength faltered.

 

“Tempest Touch!” They threw themselves into your reach, but you were too stunned to respond in time. They placed a palm on your chest, where you could feel Determination gather. It writhed at the point of contact, each of your spirits unable to tolerate the presence of the other. Yours didn’t stand a chance, as theirs was already in motion. A heat built up at a volcanic rate, erupting forth from their hand. You were sent hurtling backwards, through the stone shell of Mount Ebott.

 

You landed, dazed, on rough, craggy ground. The fact that you had elbow room told you that your landing point was in some sort of cave. You pushed yourself to your feet, wondering why this was so familiar…

 

Then you saw it, the pit not a foot away. A hole in the ceiling, at the top of the mountain, let a single ray of light fall into its depths. It did very little, what waited below still obscured by the height of the drop. All you could register was a speck of sunlight piercing the inky, dark abyss.

 

_‘It’s… where I fell…’_ At the bottom of the tunnel, you knew a patch of buttercups waited, ready to catch what or whoever decided to plummet. You didn’t want to look at it any longer, memories of your first encounter waking up. Such thoughts would only hinder your fighting ability, and you needed every bit of skill you could maintain. Direct was the best route, and it didn’t get more straightforward than the you shaped hole in the wall.

 

If only it hadn’t been the perfect size for Chara, too. They stood there, leaning against the wall, knife held loosely in hand.

 

“Hm, looks like you’re pretty banged up there.” They were right, of course, what with the gaping stab wound in your left hand and the residual pain from being used like a wrecking ball. “You know, hurting humans is something else. Monsters, they all die in one hit most of the time. But creatures like you, they stick around longer. You get to see every scratch build up, their spirits break. It’s fun.”

 

“But you? Heh, you’ve helped me quite a bit over the last… How long have we known each other? Years, probably a decade at least? Gets so hard to remember sometimes. Either way, I think it’s only fair that I pay you back, so hold still. I’ll make this quick. You get to rest in peace, I get another world. Sounds fair to me!”

 

You begged to differ. There was so much left to do, and, more importantly, so many people you had to protect. Determination flowed into your right arm, fist clenching. Chara came rushing forward, the burning tip of their knife pointed at your heart. In those few seconds you could afford inaction, you forced as much energy as you could to the flat of your hand.

 

You imagined all the things you cared about. Your happy home at the center of town. The way the wind blew just so through the village, carrying the smell of flowers and the songs of birds. Your family, Papyrus declaring his greatness to the world, Alphys and Undyne living their lives together, Mettaton working his way up in the world, Asgore finding merriment in the joy of his people, Sans standing back, lightening the mood with his quick wit…

 

…Mom, waiting at home for you, counting on you to return safely.

 

You were filled with Determination.

 

In that moment, the blade closing in on you, one second from piercing your heart, your arm exploded. The heart of the storm had ruptured, unleashing all of the DT you could hold. Your palm became awash in the golden glow of raw lightning. The power clashed with Chara’s, meeting between you and them. If they were the unstoppable force, you were the unmovable object.

 

From the point of contact, your magics repelled each other in waves. You saw the trail of flame wisp around their back, just as you were certain they saw electricity curl around yours.

 

“What part of die quickly don’t you get?” Their voice was strained, the force of the ongoing collision making airflow in their lungs get more and more constrained. You felt the cobra of effort entangle yours, too, but you wouldn’t let a shortage of breath stop you. You refused to crumble beneath their tread.

 

It was a shame the ground beneath you didn’t get the memo. The earth began to crack, splintering away as stray bursts of energy struck it. You felt the rock you stood on become loose. It was only a matter of time before it fell away.

 

With a snap that shook the planet, your footing gave out. Gravity exerted its control over all, dragging you and Chara into the depths. Without the traction of the earth holding you in place, your raging magics finally pushed you apart, slamming each into the far side of the crevice. It became harder and harder to focus, the embrace of unconsciousness growing harder to resist. As the darkness closed around you, in more ways than one, you picked up a voice following you down.

 

“You’re not allowed to die yet, you idiot…!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, deja vu.


	24. Through Fire and Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the going gets tough, the tough get right the heck out of there.

“Wake up!” You awoke to find your body getting shaken, hefted into the air by an unseen force. The low light of your environment helped your eyes reactivate sooner, showing the emerald green vine wrapped around your torso. “Okay, the idiot’s alive. That’s good.”

 

You fell from the tendril’s grasp, landing face down into what felt like a patch of flowers. You did your best to get to your feet, but your body wasn’t responding well. Your limbs felt like putty, and it was difficult to breath. What little you could feel on your left hand was pain, a sharp sting that spread out from the center of your palm, but you could blame that on the piercing gash and severe burns around it…

 

You recalled the events leading to your impromptu nap, head snapping up (much to your skull’s aching displeasure) to see you weren’t the only humanoid present. Laying there, curled up in a group of buttercups, was the phantasmal form of Chara. Your heart skipped a beat, panic setting in until you saw that they were thoroughly unconscious. You couldn’t help but notice the thin scratches under their left eye and on their lower back.

 

_‘Perhaps they are unable to recover from DT based attacks. Your magics_ _counteract each other, so perhaps it neutralizes their healing factor.’_ That meant you could still hurt them. You had a chance, but you couldn’t work up the Determination for a proper attack. This perfect window was just beyond your reach. The vine grabbed you again, forcing you to stand on your wobbly legs.

 

“No time to get your head straight. Just try not to fall over too much, got it?” Your eyes were drawn to the bright yellow petals of Flowey, standing out against the completely darkened doorway. “You remember the way out? Never mind, not important, just follow me.” He popped into the ground, only a slight distortion in the soil marking his spot as he burrowed along. Shakily, slowly, you were able to shuffle to the next room, though you had to lean against the nearest column to avoid toppling.

 

“Come on, they’ll wake up and kill you at this rate!” Flowey had reemerged in the center of the chamber. A crystal on the ceiling reflected the light in such a way that a spotlight was created, illuminating his annoyance.

 

“Need crutches. Legs not working.” You felt so vulnerable without your greatest physical asset, and you were certain negotiation wouldn’t get Chara off their chosen path.

 

“Just, use a stick or something. There’s a million of them! Here, biggest one around.” A vine roughly shoved the long, wooden pole into your hands, it standing slightly above you in terms of height. It felt sturdy enough to support you. All of your weight transferred from the pillar to it, but it didn’t show any signs of bending. It would be perfect. “Good, it works, now come on!”

 

The next room stretched out on your right, a field of spikes hanging over a pond. You knew the correct path through them would drop the points as you neared, but you would have to test each possible direction to find it.

 

“No time for this…!” A barrage of pellets rained from the ceiling, tearing the puzzle apart. By the time he was done, the path was little more than a battered, metal bridge with spikes and gears floating in the water around it.

 

“Thanks, Flowey.”

 

“I’m not doing this because I want to. If you die, Chara will be next in line for the throne. Then they’ll be the one who gets to Save. If that happens, there’s nothing we could do to stop them from destroying everything and, more importantly, me. So shut up, follow me, and for the love of all that is decent, stay away from the deadly traps.” He submerged himself again, his words coming across crystal clear. You couldn’t afford to die now. Everyone was depending on you.

 

_‘It seems our only hope is Flowey. As much as it pains me to say it, I don’t think I_ _would be able to accomplish much with so many injuries. I pray he doesn’t see fit to_ _betray you again.’_

 

_‘He won’t, trust me.’_ No matter how thorny he acted, you knew there was more to it than he let on. Somewhere in there, someone who wanted to do good still survived. So long as even an ember of Asriel remained, Flowey would at least consider the right thing. You were sure of it.

 

-

 

Somewhere at the end of the hall, you felt a breeze pass by. It must have been left open when Chara in your body passed months ago, letting the Ruins’ entryway get progressively colder. Not that you minded. The frosty touch of Snowdin Forest helped dull your increasingly aching legs and left arm. You weren’t allowed to stop yet, though, not until you were out of Chara’s reach.

 

“Alright, checkpoint one! I can lock this thing behind us, but don’t stop moving. Chara can move like you, so once they’re up, they’ll be on our butts in no time.” He didn’t have to tell you that much. You knew it first hand from being forced to watch their ‘hunts.’ You shook your head, hoping the direct cold would clear your thoughts. You took a shaky, assisted step through the door, the bright, artificial crystal light almost blinding you as the snow crunched under your feet…

 

“Where you goin’?” Your heart seized, eyes straining against their sockets as they bulged, as you pointed them to your left. Standing there, leaning against the wall, was Chara. Their body seemed a bit lighter than before, and you could only see their right eye, but that was all you needed to know where things were going. “Gee, leaving me behind like that. Gotta tell you, it hurts like Hell! What say I make us even?” They reached into their pocket, the hilt of a knife peaking over the edge.

 

“RUN!” Flowey yanked you a foot ahead, jumpstarting your flight instinct. You dug your walking stick as deep down into the snow as you could, flinging it back as you hit the soil beneath. A cloud of dirt took to the air, some of it getting in Chara’s eyes. Their hands bolted up to rub it away.

 

“Oh good GODS that stings! You’ll get yours pin cushion, just wait. I’ll sow your ears to your…!” Their threats became faint echoes of malice as the gap between you grew. Your mind raced to piece things together. It might have been possible for them to circle around you for an ambush, but there weren’t that many places for them to bypass you undetected in the Ruins. It was practically a straight hallway!

 

_‘You should worry about getting away. Let me think on it in the meantime.’_

 

_‘Thanks, Gaster.’_ It really was handy having a second brain in your head. You could firmly say that whole two heads thing was true. It meant that you could focus on your escape route. If memory served, up ahead was the tile puzzle. Maybe you could put it to use?

 

The panels clacked under your stick as you rushed to the oddly Mettaton shaped controls. On close inspection, each of the flashing lights was a button, and the three dials looked to be difficulty settings. The piece of paper was still there, and it was still hard to read. Alphys must have been in a rush to write the directions down.

 

“Come on, idiot! We don’t have time to fix this box right now!” You brought the slip up right under your nose. It was there that you could make out the lettering. Practice reading the few bits of hate mail that flooded into your possession made it so much easier. Some people really needed handwriting lessons, not to mention grammar.

 

_‘Hmm, before use, make sure the dial isn’t on junior difficulty.’_ You looked up, finding that the center dial was, in fact, on the junior setting. _‘That explains so much.’_ You turned it as far to the right as it would go.

 

“Look, I know what you’re thinking, but this stupid machine has never worked. Never. So just give up and…” You hit the big red button, the disco floor behind you breaking into colors. It only took you a moment to decide the pattern there beat even Doctor Pauly in terms of radiance. Wait, there were brown tiles in this thing? “…Uh, never mind.”

 

You didn’t even give him the ‘I told you so’ look, rushing off in the general direction of Snowdin town. From there, it was a straight shot to New Home. You had made your way to the ice fields when Flowey spoke up.

 

“Okay, I think I can use this place. Where is the thin ice…?”

 

“It all looks pretty strong to me, bro.”

 

“Shut up, I know what I’m looking…” You had another near heart attack when you looked up, Chara positioned just atop the plateau. They were too far off to make out any features aside from the scarlet dots staring through you.

 

Flowey didn’t even have to say anything before you upped your movement. The puzzle pattern had been ingrained into your mind, your body going through the motions to hit every button as you passed. Missing just one would land you flat against a wall, a sitting duck for the hunter up above. You were thankful for your walking stick, which you could use to hit the switches just out of your reach. You heard Chara leap from their perch as you passed under the canopy of snow, a shower of the white stuff fluttering down and obscuring the path.

 

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” You could only put the barest thought into how corny Flowey’s one liner was before the ice turf behind you exploded, vines breaking through the frozen surface. The biggest chunks were plucked from the air, arranged into a wall before getting crunched into a solid mass. As you clicked away, the loud smack of flesh on ice boomed through the area, followed by language you wouldn’t repeat if threatened at knifepoint.

 

Finally, the bridge came into view, the last link between the wilds and Snowdin town. You just needed to get to the other side, the smack of your cane against wood becoming frantic. So close, just a bit more…

 

“Get back here!” The slow footsteps gave your poor, abused circulatory yet another jolt, but you knew better than to look back. That would waste time, and you needed as much of that as you could get. “Come on, I can make the pain go away. Don’t you want that?” Not the way they offered it. You would prefer the slow clotting of wounds and regrowth of cells over time, thank you very little.

 

“Frisk, look out!” Flowey’s cry made your ears perk up, a slight whistling starting to come through. Almost like the air was getting…

 

You ducked to one side, the bridge starting to sway, as a knife flew past your ear. It split a single strand of your hair, sending it fluttering to the pit below. You did your best to stay on your feet, but it was easier said than done, considering the unstable footing and how the aches had started nipping at the bottom of your spine. In the end, you were forced to hit the deck, clawing your way along with the stick. Your hand hit snow when a sharp heel dug into your left leg.

 

“Naughty, naughty, Frisky.” You did all you could to knock them off, to wiggle your way to safety, but you were too weakened. All you could accomplish was turning your head around, your eyes set on their pale red, merciless, unmarked face. Wait, where was the wound? You knew there was a cut under their left eye, but it was nowhere to be seen. Was Gaster’s hypothesis wrong?

 

_‘No, it couldn’t be. Determination sources whose directives are precise opposites_ _repel one another, which would prevent their healing factor from activating. Years of_ _research have confirmed as much, but how did they heal?’_ You were at a loss for words, the pressure on your leg getting worse and worse.

 

“If you give in, you can see your Mom and Dad again.” Your fight stopped then and there, your muscles growing still. They chortled, slowly reaching over you for their weapon, lodged in the ground in front of you. “That’s right, you’ll join them in the afterlife. I know you miss them, and they miss you. I can make your family whole again. Just sit there and…”

 

Your legs kicked up from under them, their eased stance much easier to break. You twisted yourself midair as quickly as you could, getting your feet back to the ground and your torso above them. As you gained traction, you thrust your staff forward, gathering as much DT in it as possible. The tip was fully charged, sparking by the time it hit them in the chest.

 

“Don’t talk to me about family!” Arcs of lightning flew from the point of impact, sending Chara rocketing backwards. They were a quarter of the way back across the bridge when you took another stab. “You wouldn’t know how much they loved me, how much they cared!” Lightning struck them again, the line between them and you fading away as they rolled backwards, a third of the way across, as you prepped another charge. “But _I_ know they wouldn’t want me to give up! Not yet.” The third bolt struck home, landing them at the halfway mark.

 

“They would want me to be happy, a feeling you wouldn’t know.” Your fourth shot wasn’t aimed at them, but at the ground two feet to your right. The button hidden beneath the snow sank down, gears hidden out of sight ticking away. From somewhere beyond your range of vision, weapons closed in. Giant spears, spiked flails, cannons, even flamethrowers. “I want the family that I still have to be happy, a feeling you oppose.” You swung the stick around, standing tall as the DT flooded through your body. The staff’s tip hovered above the ground right next to the button, where you saw the snow was stacked a little higher. You were tempted to say goodbye, but those weren’t allowed.

 

“So long, Chara.” The tip dropped, another switch sliding into place. The metal ball swung into action, taking out the wooden supports just behind them. The spears brought the line closer, closer still. Their expression became one of panic, running as quickly as they could at you. Cannons went off, the pure iron balls tearing through more of the bridge. You could see Chara’s stability failing.

 

“If I’m going down, you’re coming with me!” Their hand slid forward, reaching for the collar of your sweater. Before they could grab it, drag you into the chasm below, a handful of pellets intercepted them, smacking the palm away as gravity took effect. By the time they could try again, they were too far away. You just stood there, looking on forlornly as they fell. You were spared seeing them land by the flamethrowers, who chose to go off as they neared the ground. You didn’t have the stomach to stick around any longer, turning away from the pit.

 

“That was, rough.” Flowey sounded out of breath, worn from the running away.

 

“At least we’re safe, right?” You nodded, refusing to look him in the eye. It may have been justified, but you just… killed them. Not Sans dealing the final blow, not them taking their own life, it was you. The feeling of dirt affixed itself to your Soul, and you weren’t certain if you could scrub it away. “Alright, kid, I’ll just get you back to the surface. Don’t need you stumbling into the abyss or open lava after all the work, right?”

 

“Yeah, right. Let’s… let’s go.” You trudged along, stopping every few yards for a deep breath. Flowey looked a bit agitated, but didn’t force you along. Without Chara, there wasn’t much rush anymore. You kept your eyes to the ground, your body knowing the way home.

 

As you neared the tree in the middle of town, all of its decorations stripped in the mass move, you thought you heard the bushes shuffling a little. Maybe it was Gyftrot, wandering around in his old home. He did that a lot, said he liked the quiet. You didn’t even bother to look as the shrubbery parted.

 

“Hey there, partner!” Your lungs gave out, every muscle in your body tensing. Your eyes drifted over to find none other than Chara, their voice clawing away at your will like fingernails on a chalkboard. The only visible injury they had was a single cut under their left eye. “Man, you are slick little devils, aren’t ya?”

 

“W-what… How are you here!? We saw you tumble down the cliff!” Flowey’s outrage matched your own, terror and frustration mixing, the recipe leaning harder on the former. Chara seemed confused for a second, but they were quick to return to that sadistic glee.

 

“I see, still haven’t pieced it together? Well, I can explain, but we’ll start with a story.” They began to circle you, knowing you were in no shape to take them head on as was. “Until now, I thought I was playing an RPG. One with some pretty spiffy features, mind, but still an RPG. So there I am, walking into the boss room, that bag of bones staring me down. I start cutting as usual, but he seemed tougher than I remembered. I thought it was a late game upgrade, nothing more.”

 

“But then the spider showed up. Then the knight. And then I get swarmed by absolutely everything! It was cheap, cruel design! How was I supposed to deal with that?”

 

“Then, when I raged off, I looked around me. I saw the box, the stuff inside it, and everything around it. That’s when I realized how wrong I was. My style worked for a while, but you can only play against the flow for so long.”

 

“So now, my tactics have changed. But I’m still having fun!” Wood creaked around you, the cracks in a few buildings’ walls starting to glow an unearthly red. “I mean, if we’re being honest here…” Doors slammed open, snow crunched, even the roof tiles started to whine under the pressure.

 

Everywhere, you saw red. And everywhere you saw red, scarlet saw you. Eyes, so many eyes, each pair baring a blade. Chuckles rolled out from the crowd. They found your nightmare comedic. You started to shiver, your gaze darting around, trying to find an opening. There was none, only a sea of red.

 

“. . . w h o  d o e s n ‘ t  l o v e  a  g o o d  M M O ?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Yeah, sorry guys, but Psychic isn't available right now. He's a bit too busy laughing all evil-like at a poster of the Joker."
> 
> Tom, what's the definition of insanity?
> 
> "Just look in the mirror, man, and breath deep, got it? So, uh, yeah. He should be fine in, like, three days. Gonna be really weird not being the weird one in this head in the mean time. Bit of an identity crisis, really."


	25. Hero's March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Say, do you smell that? That's the smell of war.

You know, I really hated whatever passed for a god in this crazy world of ours. They always chose the nice days to start pouring in the bad stuff. Got a call just before sundown. I was about to hit the sack, which made it especially annoying. A look at the screen showed a pic of one happy fish lady. Undyne never called without a good reason, so (after the usual ten seconds, of course) I picked up.

 

“hey, dyne. ‘sup?”

 

“No time for your comic schtick, Sans. Chara’s back!” What did I do to have my evening plans ruined? Kick a pup?

 

“where are you?”

 

“Greater and me are up on Mount Ebott, but the punk and Chara just went tumbling down into some pit! I need you here yesterday to track ‘em, bone…!”

 

“give me a sec, ‘kay?” I hung up, knowing there wasn’t a phone signal that could survive my blinking. I was in the kitchen with a snap of my fingers.

 

“DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT HAVING SOME SPAGHETTI BEFORE BED?” Pap was kind of used to me blinking around the house, so he never questioned me when I just showed up behind him. Guess everyone knowing my strength wasn’t all bad.

 

“sorry, but dinner’ll have to wait. chara’s here, and they’re on frisk’s tail if i’m thinkin’ straight. get your blaster and come on.”

 

-

 

A shudder ran down my spine. My instincts were telling me something had happened, but I was unsure what.

 

“What is the matter, Tori?” My discomfort did not go unnoticed by Asgore for long. Even after all these years, he still knew me well. I took a quick draw on my tea to steady myself.

 

“I cannot say, but there is a dreadful feeling in the air. I swear I have felt it before.” For some reason, I had the urge to check Chara’s grave site…

 

“The aura is clear to me as well. I have had such a prophetic experience seven times to date, each on the day before another human made themselves known below.” I could not resist the twinge of hatred that remark stirred, as the flow of events afterwards had ingrained themselves on my Soul, but there was no time to focus on it.

 

The realization struck me as well, as this reaction was not unique. I had felt it seven times over as well, only an hour before my children entered my life. Had another fallen?

 

“Perhaps I should see if anything has happened in the Ruins.” As I rose, Asgore was swift to mimic.

 

“I will come as well. If it is what we believe it to be, someone may be in grave danger.” A static charge rolled over the room, and I could feel the energy coming from the source’s gaze.

 

“boy i’ll say, but not because of the drop.”

 

-

 

The disk was in, the TV was on, and the tea and instant noodles were out. Hers was specially made, of course. Undyne needed all the energy she could get, what with working both as a gym manager and head of the Royal Guard. She did so much work to ensure we were all safe and in top shape, so setting up our weekly date night to the best of my abilities was the least I could do. All that was missing was Undyne.

 

“She said she’d be back in time. Did something happen?” The air started to hum, and a minor blue light momentarily overtook the dimmed room.

 

“‘fraid so.” Sans was… a little off. His posture was rigid, lacking that ten degree slouch. His hands were both pocketed, and his smile seemed to droop a little.

 

“Sans, what’s going on?”

 

“chara’s back, chasing our kid through the underground, that’s what.” The magic flowing through me scattered, my gut wrenching as images of our past encounters played out in fast forward. “need you to get the word out. everyone needs to scoot, asap. if what we’ve got now can’t beat ‘em, nothing will.”

 

My mind was split. I knew the message had to get out, but from there, I didn’t know. For now, I could only go with what was certain.

 

“Ok-kay, Sans, I c-can do that.” His hand wrapped around my shoulder, pulsing lightly with a soothing magic.

 

“just ‘cause you don’t fight, don’t think we value you less. we love you either way, sis, you know that.” I nodded, that fact planted firmly in my mind, but it wasn’t… “alright, need to get going. others should be about there by now. i’ll tell dyne you said hi.” His static carried him away before I could respond. I understood, of course. Chara wasn’t the type of person you left waiting.

 

Still, as I made my way to the main console, slipping my lab coat over my casual clothes, my thoughts were mixed up. My sense of self preservation said to flee, that my place was developing tech for others to use. But my heart, my Soul, it saw things differently.

 

“Attention, we are in a class zeta emergency situation! Anyone who hears me now is at risk!” My console was linked to the security systems of every household in Ebott, including the broadcast network. My voice would be ringing down every street in town and up to half a mile away. “Please evacuate immediately. I repeat, a class zeta emergency is in effect. Retreat to New Haven and await further instruction.”

 

As I flicked through the camera feeds, seeing the hasty packing of everyone as they fled, my Soul was practically screaming at me. All of these people were in danger. So many innocent Souls at risk. And here I was, too pathetic to help. I only had the strength to warn people, herd them away. The Royal Guard would take care of the leg work, meaning all I could do now was join them in waiting. I felt so useless, so weak, so…

 

My head pulsed, memories returning to me. That vision from back in the hospital, from the last timeline. The deranged laugh of Chara, the sacrifice of so many monsters that helped us escape. The wind blew by, dragging a cold touch along my wings…

 

…no. I wasn’t useless. That one time, I proved as much. I could help, but the question was how? There was no way I could ascend to that state again. Doing so may have robbed the Amalgamates of what independence they had left, and I doubted I could induce the transformation with the cases of raw DT I had in storage. There had to be some other way to supplement my abilities.

 

My eyes wandered to the elevator. There were all sorts of scraps down there, just waiting for a purpose. Magic to electricity transformers, a few pounds of time proof alloy, I thought Papyrus left some bits from his own research behind…

 

I had an idea!

 

-

 

“That… That jerk hang up on me!” I threw my cell to the ground, furious at the bonehead. My magic went wild inside of me, my hands grasping at air, hoping to find something to mangle. I channeled the rage away, knowing I needed every drop of power I could spare. “Looks like it’s you and me, Greater. At least I know you have my back.” He howled, his spear rattling as its base struck the ground. My ear fins perked as an announcement roared over the ridge.

 

“Attention, we are in a class zeta situation! Anyone who hears me now is at…” At least he had the sense to warn Alph before getting out. Sorry, but it looked like date night would have to wait.

 

“C’mon, we need to hurry back down. I don’t like our chances with the fall, that’s for sure.”

 

“yeah, you two, get movin.’ the last thing we need here is a slacker.” My eyes were locked on Sans as soon as he rounded the corner. His eye lights were more narrow than usual, but he kept the rest of his posture about the same. “sorry i’m late, but time travel ain’t for me.” I didn’t know whether to hug him or kick his ass concave, so I decided to choose later. Right now, there were bigger fish to fry.

 

“Finally! Well, what’re you waiting for? Warp us down to the Ruins.”

 

“sorry, no can do. little demon brat’s got some sort of bubble up. long as they can focus on it, baseline me can’t teleport in a certain radius. i can get us to hotland, but that’s it.” Typical, one of his coolest powers had to be cut short at a crucial moment. Oh well, we’d have to do with what we had.

 

“Fine, just do it already!” He grabbed Greater and me by the wrists, my body already starting to pull apart.

 

“hope you don’t mind a pitstop.” The world blurred into a big, white blob, spitting us out somewhere else shortly after. As I got my directions straight, I realized he only took us to the mouth of the Underground, Ebott village just a boulder toss away.

 

“Hey, what’s the deal!? I thought you said Hotland!”

 

“had a few more passengers to pick up first. you guys ready?” I followed his eyes, finding that we weren’t alone. Papyrus’s battle body was as shiny as ever, Asgore had prepped his trident beforehand, and Toriel looked angry enough to burn down a volcano.

 

“Must you ask, Sans?”

 

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS NEVER NOT READY!”

 

“Enough boasting. Every moment we waste here is another my child and Gaster face Chara alone.” Hmm, two people in a beat up body against a world eater… Bad idea to let that happen.

 

“time to go then. everyone, close your eyes and think of home.”

 

“Wait, why?” I didn’t think we had any control during his teleports.

 

“just in case. a warrior’s last thoughts should be of home.” The message was loud and clear. As static pulled me deeper into the Earth, thoughts of the lab filled my head. The doors that opened themselves when I was too worn out to, a kitchen that pulled out its own fire extinguisher, Alphys packing up her things to get to safety…

 

_‘I won’t die here. For your sake.’_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I think I got all the evil out. For now. Mwah hah hah...!
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> (No I'm not.)


	26. Holding On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the world fades away, apocalypse tearing at your heels, there is only one thing you can do.

So much red. Too much. Their eyes, they slid over you like hellish spotlights. Your hand clutched your makeshift cane tighter, tighter, yet tighter. You thought you felt splinters digging into your skin, an appetizer for what was to come. You heard the laughs as more and more of them joined the ring, felt the killing intent coming down on you in waves, the whispers rising from the ground beneath you.

 

“Frisk!” Wait, not the ground, Flowey. A tendril had silently snuck its way up your shoe, poking your ankle in an attempt to get your attention. “I’m going to need you to stall for time. Get me thirty seconds if you can. Think you can handle it?” You weren’t sure. Many of the Charas were nipping at the bit already, teeth grinding so hard you could’ve sworn there was steady stream of molar powder puffing off. And yet, you had no choice.

 

“Chara, wait!” Many in the crowd backed up a little, your voice unfamiliar or even strange sounding to them. “I have to know, before I die, why do you hate us all so much? Why are you killing us?” It was a cliché as old as time itself, but it was all you had. Only the blindingly obvious was clear to your injury addled mind. They stared at you, an eyebrow raised.

 

“Hate? Heh, no, that’s not right.” They stepped forward a bit, pacing around the edge of their hoard. “Does Mario hate Bowser? Does Mega Man hate Wily? Does Kratos hate Zeus…? Okay, bad example, but you get the point. Whenever you run into someone big and tough in your journey, it adds a little something. They spice things up, make it more interesting.”

 

“That’s what you all are to me. You’re that special type of enemy. You, and everyone else in this world. You would think it would be full of Goombas, otherwise useless little things, but no. Not everyone is exactly strong, but you’re all interesting. You’re all worth my time to play with. It’s a barrage of bosses, and each time I win, I get another life!” They gestured to the Charas behind them, the pack letting loose a unified cackle.

 

“That’s why I kill you, because you’re fun to kill! Now, let’s have some fun!” Fire trailed them as they charged, the others pushing, shoving, and leaping over each other for a shot. How long was that? Maybe… twenty nine seconds…

 

“Hold on, idiot!” Massive vines wrapped around you, leaving only your head exposed. The pressure on your body was even, firm, but not choking. In the corner of your eye, you saw another staring back at you. It was huge, unearthly. It didn’t feel right, like it contrasted against the world. You knew it well, as it oversaw too many of your deaths to count.

 

Omega Flowey had bloomed.

 

“Hey, we haven’t gotten to kill one of those before, right?”

 

“Ooh, rare mob!”

 

“Hurry up, you morons, they’re getting away!”

 

The wind whipped through your hair, vines shooting into the ground ahead to drag you along. It was like an upside down Spiderman, but you kept the thought to yourself, certain Flowey wasn’t the type for…

 

“So this is what web slinging is like. Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Well, he had good taste in media, you could give him that. You also had to compliment his mobility. From the center of town, it was only ten seconds before you reached the mouth of Waterfall. As the snowy ground gave way to navy blue dirt, the voices behind you became quieter and quieter.

 

“Thanks, Flowey.”

 

“Don’t go getting sappy on me. If I know one thing about Chara, it’s that they’re crafty. You never know what they’ll…” A loud slice met your ears, which were soon rattled by a thundering scream. Your tomb was shaken as Flowey’s whole came tumbling down to earth. Ahead of you, five Charas had burst out of the hidden room behind the waterfall, each with a blade tinged green by the leaking chlorophyll. Flowey cut the rest of the vine loose himself, giving them less mass to strike at.

 

“Peek-a-boo, I stab you!” Not good. Very not good.

 

“Flowey, swing around the underpass.” You struggled to find the perfect volume, loud enough for him to hear you, quiet enough to not give your plan away. He knew what you were thinking, wrapping a limb around the wooden walkway below. As he fell, his momentum increased. As his form slid beneath the bridge, it had enough built up speed to fly to the far side of the chamber.

 

“You stupid little…!” You heard a knife thunk against a wall as Flowey rushed along to the next room.

 

“For an idiot, you make a good GPS.”

 

“Only been through here, like, a thousand times.”

 

“Just take the compliment, would you? It’s the only one you’re getting.” He could act as thorny as he wanted. You knew what he meant. He was like a cactus, so…

 

_‘More Charas up ahead, hiding in Gerson’s old shop!’_ Gaster had a big benefit you didn’t, full three dimensional movement. What he lacked in ability to interact, he made up for with untraceable, short ranged recon, a skill that would save your skin as you passed through the Underground.

 

“Ambush up ahead, stick to the ceiling and go slow.”

 

-

 

It took longer than I had hoped, but we finally made some progress. I could smell the trash pits to the South, meaning the bridge to Hotland would be just up ahead. From there, Frisk said there was a tunnel from the lizard’s lab all the way up to New Home. We were in the home stretch, coming up on the intersection between the dump, the ghost houses, and the bridge.

 

You know, I had to give it to the kid, they knew how to move around here. I was sure they had Masky pointing out the traps for us. Didn’t matter how they did it, though, as long as it kept us alive.

 

There was something kind of weird, though. Whenever I looked at them, clasped in my vines like some hyper attentive baby, I could feel a faint buzzing in my head. And before you say it, no, my TV wasn’t burning out. That was just a spooky effect that made things so much more fun. I focused what thought I could towards the disturbance, the feeling becoming a sound. It took some time, but I was able to make out what it was. It sounded like that voice had backed itself into a mental corner, rocking back and forth as it spoke.

 

_‘…sorry, so sorry, what did I do, so sorry…’_ What would a bodiless voice be apologizing for? It didn’t have much it could’ve done besides float back there and talk. I was about to try prodding it for details, a usually fruitless effort, when Frisk decided to let a yell loose right in my ear. Well, what passed for an ear anyway. Monster biology is weird.

 

“Pincer up ahead!” Pincer? As in a two sided attack? That meant the Charas were waiting on either side of the four way. Well, that was nothing a quick trip to the ceiling wouldn’t…

 

…The ceiling was lower here. Like, a lot lower. No cliffs to dip under, either. And my Omega form wasn’t built for burrowing. We were effectively surrounded with no way out. Welp, guess it was time for my method.

 

“Kid, hold on tight.”

 

“My line.” Right, vine cocoon. Couldn’t really grab much with being wrapped up like a mummy.

 

“You know what I mean!” The hall opened into a wide room, three paths going off in different directions from the central hub. As I neared the crossway, vines gathered around my sides, coiled up, tensing with their own potential energy. Potential became kinetic as I passed, shooting out into the openings.

 

All they met was dirt, not a scrap of any Charas to be seen. Was Masky just going blind on us?

 

“Look up!” With a hint of hesitation, my eyes drifted North, where they found an answer for me. Clinging to the ceiling was a pack of Chara duplicates, counting no less than twenty on either side, but there could’ve been more. All I knew for certain was that the pit at the bottom of my stomach was churning, and it had something to do with the light glinting off those knives.

 

“Cannon ball!” Before I could retract my limbs, they were swarmed by the hornets, each landing stinger side down. My plant muscles screamed in agony as they were pierced, green gunk oozing from the wounds. It was only a quick chomp from my blaster mouth that spared me any more agony at their hands.

 

The downside was that I severed the things keeping me suspended in midair, gravity taking its toll as my screen tumbled towards the ground. Some top soil parted beneath me, leaving the bottom half a foot of my head buried. Good thing I had thought ahead, keeping Frisk above me during the fall. I took a second to check them for damage before adding a few more layers of vines. In a worst case scenario, it would give them a few more seconds of protection. They would need it, too, the killers making a circle around us.

 

“Look at that, a TV dinner!”

 

“Did it have to be salad though? Veggies are the worst!”

 

“Stop complaining, there’s a Determination seasoning in that coil on top. That should make it taste so much better.”

 

“Smashing!”

 

“No, cutting!” They all thought it was the funniest thing ever, but I had to disagree. If I had a heart, it would’ve been pounding out of my chest. I needed a way out, something quick that covered a wide area. Under the mass of vines curling around me, I hurried to materialize another flower.

 

“Come on, people, dig in!” They jumped at me, and I jumped straight up, revealing the venus fly trap. Its mouth was wide open, stalk bulging as my little surprise rushed to open air.

 

“Buzz off!” From the gaping opening in its jaws, flies emerged, each only a little smaller than Frisk. They flew out at random, latching themselves on the unsuspecting hoard.

 

“Gyah!”

 

“Where’s the Off when you need it!?”

 

“They’re in my eyes!”

 

“They’re in my pockets!” Off to the side, one of the bugs had jammed its head and feelers into a Chara’s pockets, popping back out with a small sack of weird, sparkly burgers. I didn’t have time to worry about that, though, my pulling vines restoring themselves to a usable state.

 

“Oh no you don’t.” I lifted myself from the ground just in time, a wave of fire obscuring the earth below. Behind me, the familiar face of the scarred Chara waltzed into the clearing, smoke curling upwards from the corners of their mouth. The embers burned away at my tendrils, putting me back on the ground. “This is a no flying zone.” Their knife went hurtling through the air, hitting one of my bugs right between the eyes. “In more ways than one.”

 

“Why… can’t you take… the hint?” It was getting harder and harder to breath, my mad dash through the Underground coming back to haunt me. It did have one benefit, though. The heavy puffing masked the sound of charging DT.

 

“A lot of reasons. I’d tell you, but, well, fool me twice and all that.” Bad news, the distracting them with a monologue wouldn’t work. Good news, I didn’t need that much time. No screaming for half an episode before an attack for me. “Let’s do this, Leroy…!”

 

“That meme’s dead.” I rolled backwards, the disturbing belly mouth pointing at them. Between its closed teeth, a bright, blue light shined out. “Tell it I said hi when you get to Hell!” I revoked all pressure in my jaw, letting the swirling, unstable energy held there escape. It burned a hole through the ring, but not in the way I hoped. Any Chara in range leaped to the sides, except for one. Scar face liked up more, coming down right on top of my second head.

 

“You know, big bosses always have such obvious weak points. For example, glowing eyeballs.” I knew it was coming, but that didn’t help me prepare for the steel slipping into the big, mouth mounted pupil. A scream tore its way from my lungs, my body throwing itself back and forth, twisting and turning, doing its best to throw them off of me. All it accomplished was tearing up the chamber with the last few sputters of my cannon, the Charas scattering into an unorganized mob.

 

“For a so-called god, you’re as weak as they come! Tempest Touch!” The other eye was hit by their open palm. DT burst from the point of impact, that whole side of my body feeling like it would rip away. Chara, not even shaken by my thrashing, rubbed their hands together. “You’re not the only one with some nasty breath, bro.” They started sucking up air like a vacuum, only stopping the flow when their lungs were as stretched as could be. Their smirk only added more terror to my already growing stock.

 

“Hey bro, I’m firin’ my BLARGH!!!” A bright red beam, fire condensed to its tightest form, came screaming out of them. The blast made short work of whatever it crossed, including me. It trailed along the right side of my screen, slicing away the bottom right corner. I didn’t have the strength to voice my pain, but I assure you that my brain was overloading from the nerve signals. I didn’t think pain of that magnitude even existed, like getting your head jammed into an active volcano.

 

As the ray died down, my body finally realized that it didn’t have enough energy to maintain itself anymore. My great, divine form faded away, the television and vines crumbling without the DT to sustain them. All that was left was my tiny, insignificant flower body draped across the floor. Chara towered over me, eyes turned upward in glee.

 

“And now, even God cowers at my feet. You just had to fight me, didn’t you? Heh, not a very bright idea, now was it?” My vision drifted in and out, flickering around the room. I saw Frisk, recovering from their fall, reach towards me. They were injured, they needed help. Their eyes, though, didn’t show any worry about that. They were too concerned about me to care.

 

“F…Flow…ey…” Something in my mind stirred, my Souls weighing heavily on my frame. I… I just… couldn’t understand.

 

“How… could I be… so stupid?” The ground split open, letting me dig away from the laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait, get back here, we need you for the climax...!
> 
> Darn it, Flowey.


	27. Repeating History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The clock spins round and round, the eternal cycle we are doomed to relive.

Your hand receded as Flowey sank into the ground. He had decided to flee after his Omega form faltered. You couldn’t bring yourself to blame him, as you knew what he was afraid of better than most others.

 

_‘That little snake in the grass!’_ Gaster, however, had no such restraints. _‘May that_ _cursed weed get what’s coming to him!’_ You hated to interrupt his rant, but there was something a bit more important at hand. Namely, the clusters of Charas noticing you, like a chunk of meat thrown in the piranha tank.

 

“Well, at least we still have you.” The one you had fought back on the surface drew near, not three yards off when they stopped, holding an open hand to one side. They wanted their army to wait. “So, do we kill you now, or hold you for later? Making you watch as we kill everyone you love would be the perfect punishment for damaging my pretty face.” They took a second to check their reflection in the pond, fingers rubbing the mark under their eye.

 

“No, don’t take the chance, they’ll load a Save if we don’t act now!” Oh yeah, your Save! If you remembered right, it wasn’t that long before Flowey found you. Maybe it would be enough time to get ready, warn Undyne ahead of time. You just had to reach out in your mind and…

 

…Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened. You could ‘feel’ the hub in the back of your mind, but it wouldn’t respond.

 

“Chill, me. We’re kind of tied as far as DT goes, remember? So long as I’m around, no one’s doing anything to time.” You inched backwards, your plan failing miserably. You had been warned about relying on time too much, and now it was all ringing true. “But you’ve got one point. If we break the stalemate in our favor, we can kill the others at our leisure.” They took that as an order, springing into action. You flinched away as a demanding tone rumbled by.

 

“Hold your fire, morons! Need I remind you who’s letting you be here? This kid’s mine. You all can have whoever you want from the next timeline, but this little brat’s been a thorn in my side from day one.” The others made room, clearly afraid of the one you assumed to be the leader’s wrath. “Time to pay up for New Home, kid. Enjoy the void!” They plucked their knife from the ground, raising it high as the blade glowed red with the heat.

 

_‘Frisk, tag out!’_ You didn’t bother to argue, getting out of the controls to make way for Gaster. As you left your body behind, the sting of your injuries fell to his shoulders, the relief offset by your guilt at leaving them to him. He came out swinging, though, powering through your debilitating wounds long enough to raise a hand up.

 

“Darkest Night!” From your palm, Gaster’s dark violet Determination flowed. In an instant, it expanded outwards, filling the room with a thick fog. The Charas screamed in pain as it met them, the Determination that made up their bodies reacting violently to the noxious cloud. It was like he had fused a smokescreen and chemical onslaught into one package, using the cover to slip away. Your head escaped the smoke, body crawling along, before Gaster nearly collapsed.

 

_‘Switch out. More used to it.’_ He held firm for a few seconds longer, inching along enough to touch the first board of the bridge, but that was all he could do before relinquishing control. You were able to force yourself to your feet, all of your weight set into the stick.

 

_‘How… How are you still moving like this? By all accounts, your bones should be_ _pulp.’_ His phantasmic form stood over you, concern radiating from his sockets. He tried in vain to pick you up, to help, but his hands only phased through you.

 

_‘Too much to lose. Can’t die yet.’_ You powered on, making it to the stalagmite that supported the center of the bridge. _‘Gotta… keep… going.’_ A few more planks. _‘Not…_ _giving…’_ The bridge rushed up to meet you. Er, you fell to it? It was getting hard to tell. It felt like the stinging in your left hand had slithered into your brain, everything becoming too fuzzy. Up was down, left was right.

 

But those figures back at the start of the bridge were definitely still Chara. The underlings were more exhausted, and the leader’s wound had spread open another few centimeters, but they were still Charas. The scarred one gave out a small golf clap.

 

“I have to admit it. Of all the Frisk’s I’ve killed, you’re the most interesting. I mean, you’re flat on your stomach, one foot into the grave, arms and legs all broken to bits, but you’re still Determined! Man, whatever Chara comes out of you should be a fun trooper to have around.” They were getting closer. Their footsteps rattled in your brain, head getting thunked by the shaking bridge. So tired…

 

_‘Frisk, please, you must stand up!’_ Sorry, Gaster. The spirit was willing, but the body was weak. You couldn’t win on your own, not like this. Your Soul burned in your chest, the last few drops of your Determination running their course. You needed to survive.

 

_‘You cannot lose hope.’_

 

You just needed some help. You needed a hero.

 

_‘You’re a wimpy loser with a big heart!’_

 

You needed a guardian.

 

_‘Be good, my child.’_

 

You needed a judge.

 

Thunder cracked in the back of your mind. The burning, itching sensation returned to your right eye. It was much more manageable now, barely a tick on your radar. Suddenly, in the air around you, small, golden pieces appeared. You remembered them, from back in the news studio.

 

The last time you messed with them, the false Flowey had appeared. Was this the perpetrator’s way of reaching out? You didn’t know, but you knew you had no choice. You reached out, sliding the pieces together. As more joined the mass, you started to smell the faintest hint of ketchup.

 

“What are you doing?” Chara was looking down at you, at the growing crystal in front of you. Its yellow surface flowed like water, a mesmerizing jewel if you had ever seen one. “Hey, remember what happened the last time you did that!? You don’t want that thing showing up again!” In any other case, they would be right, but Chara underestimated just how desperate you were. You wanted to live, and whoever kept sending these crystals was your best bet. The last piece clicked into place.

 

The gem’s golden glow swelled beyond its surface, Chara shying away from the wall of light. It stood half a foot taller than you and no less than twice as wide. As the light vanished, you noticed what it had left behind.

 

Standing there, bones as brilliant as the morning sun, was Sans. Distressed murmurs floated through the crowd.

 

“It’s the skeleton!”

 

“I don’t have enough food!”

 

“I’m not ready!”

 

“Wait, he’s just standing there…”

 

The last one was right. You could see his chest expand and contract as he breathed, but that was the only movement present. You reached out, about to tug at his shorts.

 

“Sans, what’s…?” As your fingers grazed the fabric, you felt an unmistakable energy. It was Determination. _He_ was Determination, pure energy. Your energy. His body was, from head to toe, made from the same life energy that flowed through your veins. How was it possible? Your head ached, even more than before, a memory getting dredged up from the depths of your conscious mind.

 

_“Usually, when something is erased, let’s say a memory, it retains a link to the vessel from which it was taken.”_

 

…That was it. These shards, whenever you touched them, reminded you of something from your past. The smell of buttercups when it was Flowey and ketchup now. The crystals themselves flowed like water, among the most beautiful things you had ever seen, up there with the streams of time. These crystals weren’t normal gems.

 

They were shards of time, left adrift when you Reset their timelines. Without a place to go, they stayed in the void. Maybe you, in moments of great stress, had somehow found a way to bring them back, as well as the elements therein.

 

“I’m gonna jump him.”

 

“Don’t do it!”

 

“I’m gonna do it!”

 

As you looked at his form, you noticed something was missing. The body was strong, but it had no master. It was only a shell. If that was all it was, born from your Determination, did that mean you could…?

 

You pulled your Soul to the surface, the red heart burning as strongly as ever. It still stood firm despite its vessel’s wounds. Your hand slipped under it, cupped it in your palm. Your lungs hitched as you thrust it forward, into the shell of Sans.

 

The surface parted without issue, your Soul sinking in. As you left your body, your connection to the broken flesh fell away. All that you knew was your Soul and the field around it. You pushed yourself to the body’s center, letting strands stretch out from the Soul’s surface. You established the link, just like when you had traversed timelines. It seemed so long ago now, but the process still came to you like instinct. You tried to move your arm…

 

But it refused. You tried the other arm. Nothing. Not even the legs would respond. You panicked, the pulsing of your Soul growing erratic.

 

“Heh, little Frisky, thinking they can fill the slippers of Sans.”

 

“It’s like a little kid wearing their big brother’s shoes!”

 

“So cute. Kind of like those dog guards.”

 

“And we all know what we do to those!”

 

Your DT based form was even more receptive to emotions, their malice coming in clear. You were trembling, pumping out as much Determination as you could muster. Your Soul burned trying to force yourself into the controls. All you accomplished was enriching yourself with energy you couldn’t use.

 

“Frisk… come back! We can still… try… to run…!” Gaster tried to reach into the body, but couldn’t do it. Your body was far too broken to follow through. The Charas were still in top shape, the distance between you shrinking more and more. In a moment, they would cut you out, shatter your Soul. They would take time, then your world. In one last ditch move, you expelled everything. The core of your being pushed itself to the absolute limit, nonexistent teeth grinding. All of the Determination you had surfaced…

 

-

 

One moment, you were staring down a hoard of Charas. The next, you saw nothing but dark. Were you in the End? How did you get there? You didn’t remember shooting out of time again. What was going on?

 

“A new curiosity emerges.” A voice came from behind you. You looked, but no one was there. Only the dark. “And now, it is the young noble who enters this place.” You turned again, this time to a much more tangible discovery.

 

He was big, his sheer height and muscle mass exceeding even that of Asgore. His body was coated in a thick, black layer of fur, his back covered by a drooping, gray cloak. A snout adorned his face, his leisurely grin revealing the tips of his razor edged fangs. His limbs were all capped by wide, claw tipped hands and feet, the latter halfway between those of a human and a dog. Looking in his right eye, the other obscured by a gray, raggedy cloth band, you could only imagine him as one of the werwolves of legend.

 

“Who… Who are you?” He came closer, that one eye looking through you as though your being was transparent.

 

“I have bore many names in my life. Ares, Duke, Yuri, even a handful of hours as Mimi, but you may address me as Rameg.” He started to pace around you, the sensation of his scrutiny tracing along your body like a snake. You didn’t have time for this. You needed to get back to Waterfall, Chara was about to…!

 

“Calm yourself, child, time’s flow is diminished here. Minutes on the surface are hours within. I think we can spare a few moments, hmm?” Well, that made things a bit better, but you still had something you needed to do.

 

“Need to go back, to stop Chara!” Rameg started to get an odd look in his eye, grin widening. His teeth shined like stars.

 

“You know, I may be convinced to help you with that.” Wait, really?

 

“You could do that?”

 

“Oh yes, I am quite experienced in the operation of soulless forms. It would be nothing to show you the way.” You couldn’t believe it. So many nice people in the void.

 

“Thank you, thank…!” He clicked his tongue.

 

“It won’t be for free, of course. There is a certain balance to things that must be maintained. What do you say to a trade?” Even though you didn’t have palms, you could feel them getting sweaty.

 

“What kind of trade?” He was less looking at you than he was leering. It was like a cobra sizing up its prey.

 

“Information for information. I’ll show you a trick of mine if you show me one of yours. That would be fair, correct?” Well, alright. It sounded like a good trade. You nodded.

 

“What did you want to know?” His hand brushed your ‘cheek,’ then slid to the top of your Soul.

 

“Hush now. I can handle the rest.” Suddenly, you were hit by a migraine. You could feel something digging around in your brain. It pushed thoughts aside, rustling through your memories like an unorganized secretary. “Yes, this should be it.” A single thought flashed in your mind’s eye, a still, up close image of the Continue and Reset buttons. “Hmm, interesting. Very much so.” His presence slipped from your mind, placing every memory he shoved aside back into place. A single strand remained at the edge of your consciousness.

 

“It was good doing business with you, oh young noble. I impart to you the promised gift.” A force began flooding your head. It was like a fluid, soaking into whatever it touched. All that you were, the essence of your being, became awash in a piercing light. “Let me show you the art of Control. May your puppets dance!”

 

-

 

Slowly, you opened your eyes. The dark was gone. In its place was red, a corrupting presence. Chara stared at you, jaw hanging loose.

 

“No way, they actually did it?” You blinked, unable to stop yourself from smiling. They thought you didn’t stack up? Oh well, they could think whatever they wanted. You didn’t care about the input of dirty brother killers anyway.

 

Somewhere, off in the distance, a bell tolled thrice. Was it that time already? You could’ve sworn there were, like, fifty fights left. Meh, might as well take care of them now. It’d make it so much easier to nap later.

 

You slid your hands into your pockets. Huh, there was something in the right one. You pulled it out, a torn up, dusty scarf hanging from your hand. Looking at it made you feel royally peeved, not to mention guilty. Your grin mellowed out, knowing what had to be done. You wrapped it around your neck, leaving a foot and a half of it dangling loosely over your left shoulder.

 

“it’s a beautiful day outside.” Even with your eyes closed, you knew just about all of the dirty sinners were about to book it, and the ones that weren’t were quaking in their sneakers. Only the cut up one at the front faced you without fear, but they still knew what kind of force they were dealing with.

 

“birds are singing, flowers are blooming.” Really was a nice day. Maybe you’d find a nice flower bed to sleep in later. Heh, get it? “on days like this, kids like you…” Your eyes opened wide, the left an opening to the endless void. The right held only one feature, a ring of golden fire.

 

“SHOULD BE BURNING IN HELL.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love milking titles for all they're worth.
> 
> Oh, and there's a small emergency update. Namely, a possible lack thereof in the near future. Guess who Lady Luck slapped with a case of Tonsillitis? Guess who doesn't have the energy to write? Guess who doesn't quite have the rest of the chapters written up yet? If you said me, congrats, you win. It was a fortunate spot of energy that let me edit this up for you guys. I can't say how sorry I am, but the next update might take a while.


	28. Turning Up the Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'd make a kitchen joke to go with the title, but I'm not in that kind of condition yet. Check those end of chapter note doodads for details.

A shiver ran down my spine, and not just because of the cold breeze. You got used to a bit of a chill when you lived in Snowdin for a few years. No, a little puff of air coming to Hotland from Waterfall was nothing. They happened all the time in front of Alph’s lab.

 

What was new was the ocean of killers sitting out front. Just the sight of that many Charas in one place, filling up the entire town square, well, it didn’t exactly help the old Determination. I stayed dead quiet, able to hear a pin drop. Or, in this case, the voices of the Charas struggling to be heard over one another.

 

“Come _on_ , where are they!?”

 

“Cool it, dummy, they’ll give us the order when our mark gets to the big neon sign thingy.”

 

They were waiting for Frisk. This was an ambush set up to kill my little buddy. My DT went from ice cold to red hot in about three words. The footsteps behind me made my bones clench, but I relaxed upon the realization that they couldn’t hear us over the sound of their own voices. Yeesh, there must’ve been a few hundred of ‘em…

 

“GOODNESS ME, THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM!!!” Wow, they couldn’t even hear Pap over all the racket. That’s normally a sign to quiet down a bit, but I didn’t complain. It gave me more time to plan an attack.

 

“Hush, Bonehead, you’ll give us away!” Dyne slapped a hand over his teeth, silencing any further, possibly revealing exclamations. Tori and Gore showed up a few seconds later, not quite sure whether to look at them or not. Seeing this many of their own kid gearing up for a stabby dog pile couldn’t’ve sat well. I’d say disown the little snot, but hey, I wasn’t around when it was supposedly half decent.

 

“I… I do not believe we can sneak through.” Especially not with that heavy, solid gold armor of Gore’s. Greater would be in even worse shape, his otherwise useful rig clanking like a junkyard wherever he went.

 

“think i’ve got a plan. pap, our blasters are lava proof. if we stick ‘em under that platform, cut up the bits supporting it, i should be able to pull…”

 

“Trouble! Big trouble!” At the far end of the crowd, a new Chara popped in. It was screaming its lungs out, assuming DT bodies had lungs.

 

“What’s up with you?”

 

“Yeah, looks like you’ve seen a skeleton!” Must’ve been talkin’ about me. Good to hear I was some sort of spook in their weird little world.

 

“I did! A golden Sans just popped up, and he’s gone mental!” A golden me, appearing during a Beautiful Day situation, all when the kid was in mortal peril. Either I was losing my mind, or whoever was behind that fake Flowey was up to their old tricks. Not sure how I felt about that. At least it gave me an opening. Just had to materialize a blaster and…

 

“Boss says they need us all by the bridge. We’ll kill the Sans, then we’ll kill the Frisk.” The hoard cried out in unison, voicing their love for the plan. It was like a tribe prepping to go to war.

 

Welp, that was my last straw.

 

-

 

These pukes thought I’d let them hurt my bestie? My ambassador? The crowned heir to the monster throne? Nuh uh, nope, not happening. I was about as ticked as ticked could be, but I held back. Sans had a plan, and he was usually right.

 

“What do you have in mind, Sans?” Silence. “Sans?” It was then, looking at him, that I had to admit how wrong I was. I thought I was mad, but he was absolutely livid. He was engulfed in that blue Determination fog, the same stuff from back at New Home. And if that wasn’t scary enough, his eye ring got an upgrade, too. That entire half of his face was on fire. But that didn’t compare to the most terrifying thing of all.

 

For once in his life, he wasn’t smiling. That was a scowl on the resident joker’s face, teeth pushing together so hard they should’ve snapped.

 

“I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM FROWN LIKE THAT SINCE A WEEK BEFORE WE MOVED TO SNOWDIN!” I knew exactly why Papyrus sounded so shaky. I don’t think anyone would be stable this close to a skeleton on freaking fire! Especially not when he had a face reserved for fates worse than death on.

 

“DIRTY FAMILY KILLERS!!!” Good God, was that what he sounded like when he screamed!? I thought it was bad when his voice got tough, but tough and loud was something else. The noise cut a swathe through the blood hungry army below us, their eyes all pointing up the elevator staircase at us. Then they all, in unison, lost their heads.

 

“It’s him!”

 

“Quick, throw your knives at him!”

 

“Can I try roasting a marshmallow on his head first?” Sans was out of there in a wave of static before they could do anything.

 

_‘Wait, I remember this move. First, he warps away. And then…’_ I looked up and, sure enough, there he was. Him and the biggest, baddest Gaster Blaster of them all. The one that obliterated nine square blocks the last time it went off. I barred my arms out, gesturing everyone backwards. The Charas didn’t take long to find him.

 

“Oh God, what’s that!?”

 

“The boss told us about that thing. We’ve gotta stop it!”

 

“Someone throw me!”

 

One of those things had one heck of a throwing arm, tossing up a pack of twenty Charas. From there, another five were launched. And from there, the last one went flying. At that rate, it would be up there with Sans before he could fire. Good thing no one threw stuff better than me. Like, for example, a spear.

 

“Hey jerk! No flying here without a permit!” Now I was actually kind of happy we had to start requiring those things after Tsunderplane started flying around. The tip poked straight through its chest, knocking off enough momentum to keep it off of Sans.

 

“Hey, he’s up there flying! Stab him!”

 

“Actually, he’s floating. Kind of different.”

 

“Shut up! No one needs your gymnastics.”

 

“That’s semantics, you…”

 

Any further arguing was drowned out by the scream of the blaster. The red and orange light of the lava was rendered mute by a pillar of cyan. All of my senses were swallowed up by the laser, and I wasn’t even in the beam. I could only imagine how much pain it was dealing out, any yells of pain blocked out by the fury of Sans.

 

When the lights toned down, I saw just how right I was. Only a few handfuls of Charas were left, all scattered to the corners of the island. Oh, and I should probably mention the humongous hole in the center. Molten rock flowed through the cracks inwards, slowly filling in the crater. Maybe it was a good thing Sans didn’t do too much fighting, otherwise the surface would look like swiss cheese.

 

“STILL FEEL LIKE STICKING AROUND, BOTTOM FEEDING TRASH!?” From where I was standing, it looked like a few of them wet their pants. You could tell which ones actually did because they were quick to jump into the lava. We were left with about ten Charas, each of them with that evil little grin of theirs.

 

“Holy cow, that was awesome!”

 

“Yeah, I want that thing now!”

 

“You guys think it’s a rare drop or something?”

 

“If it is, whoever gets the last shot in gets it!”

 

The only thing they’d be getting from us was another spear. They didn’t see me coming, dashing in close to ram it through two of their heads. Didn’t they know not to cluster like that? It just invited trouble, like Greater Dog dropping out of the sky. He had that Wolf mode thing on, fur standing on end. He let his released energy carry him into a spiral, the tip of his spear hacking through whatever crossed him. If they weren’t cut in half, they were trampled under foot.

 

All around us, a red mist floated up. Wherever it touched me, my body started getting all tingly. It was like my energy spiked for a few moments, but the sensation fled along with the fog. It must have been the Determination they were made out of being released.

 

“Alright! Back off, you Halloween rejects! I thought you were supposed to be big time murderers or something? Hah! That’s just too funny, right Sans?” He landed beside me, barely missing the pit of lava. His expression was anything but humorous.

 

“it’s their bodies. they only had one hp each.”

 

“Wait, what? But, they all killed the world! Their LOVE should be through the roof, right?”

 

“their forms come from Determination. since they don’t have Souls of their own, they must be getting it from somewhere else, somewhere limited.”

 

“So they’re glass cannons? Guess that makes our jobs a little easier.” At least the playing field was even in that regard. They could one shot us, we could one shot them. We just had to hope like Hell that we were better at dodging.

 

“We must go, now! Frisk is down there alone in this madness!” Toriel was way ahead of us, in more ways than one, and Asgore wasn’t too far behind. I guess the shock finally wore off, or was at least outweighed by their concern for the punk.

 

“COME, BROTHER, I WILL CARRY YOU THERE! YOU WILL NEED ALL THE STAMINA YOU CAN MUSTER!” Pap plucked Sans from his spot, dashing off with him pinned under arm like some sort of football player. I felt a tug at my wrist, Greater trying to pull me along.

 

“I’ll catch up in a minute. Just need a quick breather, you know?” His eyes focused intently on me, but he still relented. I knew he wouldn’t be tricked too easily, but he knew I was still the captain around here. His time was better spent actually doing something, following the others off to Waterfall.

 

I was left in the sweltering heat, alone with my thoughts. How much was I even needed anymore? I mean, Papyrus just got his mittens on those blasters, Toriel was a general lifeline and inspiration for everyone, and Asgore was the best figurehead we could ask for. Heck, even Sans, freaking SANS did my job better than me. So I got two of them, big whoop. He took out, like, a hundred in one shot!

 

My whole life I had trained, worked myself to the bone for what I had. I trained until my body failed me, reached until I couldn’t reach further, then I did it anyway. But now, all it took was a little sprinkling of this Determination junk and some lucky stars to outclass me, while I was left getting scolded like some child off to the side. I couldn’t even do jack to help my best human friend, even though they were right there in front of me! I dropped to my knees, looking to the heavens for an answer.

 

“Do they really need me anymore?”

 

The gurgling of the magma dragged me from my thoughts. I looked behind me, the surface of Sans’s pit churning. From within, red specks started to emerge. First ten, then twenty, then even more. They rose in a single, steady stream, coming closer to me.

 

“Are those, Souls?” A thought hit me. Humans Souls persisted after death. In that moment, I only had one explanation. The Charas weren’t done yet. I took my wide stance, a spear forming in my hands. If they wanted me, it would be one heck of a fight! The torrent started to descend, falling to me like a sluggish rain.

 

In the corner of my mind, I heard a faint buzzing. No, I couldn’t afford distractions. I needed to focus on this wall in front of me! I had to…

 

…No, that wasn’t right. Sans said it himself, those fake punks gave up their Souls a long time ago. There was something else going on here. I couldn’t let anything escape my senses, even something as small as that noise. I let my mind close into the point a little more, little sounds becoming more and more apparent. It wasn’t just a senseless hum, it was a voice. Several voices, all trying to be heard. A little closer…

 

_‘I’m so sorry.’_

 

_‘What have I done?’_

 

_‘Undyne, please…’_

 

It was… That was Frisk! So many Frisks, all talking as one! As the wave drew close, its path turned. The current swirled around me, the contents making a ring of red. It was oddly comforting. Looking close, those Souls were familiar. I had tried to steal one just like them too many times to count.

 

“What are you…?” The wall in front of me pulsed a little. I thought they wanted me to come closer. I took a few steps, face to face with the mass. On closer inspection, there was something wrong. The color was a bit dulled, like someone had mixed that incredible shining scarlet of Frisk’s being with a dirty gray. I reached in, trying to pull one out for a closer look.

 

A headache hit, images flashing through my mind. I saw Papyrus, stretching his arms out wide, before getting cut down. His head fell from his shoulders, but he still kept speaking encouragement as a human stomped his face into dust. I saw Sans, his strength waning until he couldn’t dodge any longer. He ducked behind the nearest pillar, but there was no mistaking that white powder blowing in the wind.

 

I saw myself, melting away, still smiling in the face of my own death.

 

“You… You’re all the Frisks they took over, aren’t you?” The stream closed in even more, brushing against me in confirmation. “What do you want from me?”

 

Suddenly, the Souls became more erratic. They flew upwards, falling back to me in a steady arc. I raised my arms, trying to defend against the flood. Instead of pain, though, there was only a soft pressure on my chest. I looked down, the flow all draining into a single point where my uppermost ribs connected. When they were all in, they had left behind a red, faded locket, hovering in place.

 

I ran a hand over it, picking it up when I was sure it was safe. It was kind of weird. From what I had heard, a single Soul was supposed to constantly pulse with Determination, the force that kept it around. But now, even though there were so many in one spot, formed from the most Determined human of all, it was still. Not even a drop of DT was left.

 

“Guess you aren’t feeling that great? That’s alright, I understand.” Another image passed, this time of the hoard they had once been forced to support. “You want to help us, don’t you?” I took the subtle warmth the locket let off as a yes. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you can.” At least I had a reason to go out there now, even if I didn’t contribute much. These little guys were depending on me. I broke into a sprint, knowing I couldn’t afford to miss too much of the action.

 

“Oh, and, for the record, I forgive you.” The Souls seemed relieved by that, the locket getting just a bit lighter, and a whole lot warmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I (barely) LIVE! For those of you out of the loop (who probably don't read these things anyway), I've been caught up in a nasty case of tonsillitis. Which then grew to general throat irritation and rawness, making eating anything, even pudding or water, a painful process. For a guy well past two hundred pounds, nearly a week without much food is Hell on Earth. Seriously, I've been in a half hibernation state for a while, just waiting for the problem to clear up. It's not gone yet, but it was good enough to empty out the fridge.
> 
> But hey, you're here for the story, and the story you shall receive! I can't thank you all enough for being patient with me, especially those of you who gave your support in the comments. You guys rock, end of story. Now, it'll probably be a touch longer between updates from this point on (empty backlog, new writing arrangements, recovering nutrients, that sort of thing), but I will eat my own left hand before I let another silent week pass. My goal here is to have this entry all polished off by July 15th, because I know my productivity will be driven to extinction when that new Monster Hunter drops. No one will see me for about a month after that. Trust me, it's happened before.
> 
> Oh, and let the records show that this next chapter is one I've been letting simmer since the day I started pulling this story together. It's like the birth of a dream for me.


	29. Fallen Petals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ring around the rosies...
> 
> Pockets full of posies...
> 
> Ashes, ashes...

I cringed, the open air agitating my wounds. Maybe I wasn't cut out for the God thing after all. I mean, what kind of God gets cut up by some kid? A stupid one, that's for sure.

 

Heck, the pascifist, the person who was expressly unwilling to kill, kicked my stem up and down the timelines. What hope did I have of taking on the serial apocalypse? What chance did _they_ have?

 

There's another label for the list, coward. Frisk stood up for me to what'd probably be their bitter end, and I just left them out to dry. The one person who treated me with common decency was back in that garbage heap getting torn to shreds, and I knew exactly how good that felt. I had less guts than the little, not even teenage, heavily injured kid who couldn't break a tomato. I guess that's a good summary of me, the spineless, honorless little idiot. No, idiot's not the right word. Moron sounded closer, but not quite there. Looks like I had something else to contemplate before the hoard chewed through their newest dish and came back looking for leftovers.

 

The only other thing that was left for me was that TV back in my flower pit.

 

_'You mean the one Frisk gave you?'_ Great, and now the voice was back.

 

"You have something useful to say you... You..." Heh, that was a new one. The insult actually died in my lungs. This must've been how the kid felt before they found my ugly mug way back when. I never envied them, but now it was a more active feeling.

 

Wait, was I really feeling sorry for them? Brilliant, now I could stew in grief that wasn't even for me. That's just peachy. What a headache.

 

No, seriously, my head was pounding. It was like some itty bitty Chara wiggled their way in and was jumping up and down in my skull. I wilted against the big, open doorway, hoping the support and the cold touch of snow would be enough to stop it.

 

If I remembered right, this is about where I would meet Smily when I was the timelord. He'd be about to knock on the door when I pushed it open. It always turned out like that, no matter how long I postponed. Time was weird.

 

_'Maybe it was Sans following that deja vu sense?'_

 

And now the voice was talking sense. That's it, I was officially going crazy. And the headache wasn't going away. Oh well, might as well hurry up and get to my death bed. Getting out of the way was all I was useful for anymore.

 

-

 

My old home. I didn't know why, but something compelled me to take another look around the place. Maybe my short circuiting brain wanted something familiar.

 

Man, Mo... I mean, Toriel, really had trouble letting go. Even, like, twenty years later, my... Asriel's room was just like I remembered. Those stupid crayon drawings were starting to fade. Especially that one with the yellow flower...

 

I didn't want to be in here any longer. Just looking at the wallpaper was enough to start pulling up old memories. Memories I wanted no part of. That stupid, trusting kid died a long time ago. I was some parasyte leaching off of what was left of him, and the last thing he needed was me mucking around in his business.

 

I thought a little food would help clear my thoughts. Whatever was left anyway. The goat did pack up in a hurry. I threw the fridge's door open, hoping there were a few crumbs left. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the bottom shelf.

 

Just sitting there was a big, brown plastic sack full of chocolate bars. Long, wide, kind of like what the humans called Hershys. And it was Chara's absolute favorite. They never had enough, to the point where it was part of business as usual to buy up whatever the market had when we were out shopping. We... They must've burned, like, a thousand G a month on those cravings. I had to wonder why she would up and leave this case behind.

 

_'_ _I think she wanted to move on, let the past go.'_ Right, moving on. That thing people had to do when what was got too heavy. It was important sometimes, especially to people in crazy places like ours, so why did my brain refuse to just drop what didn't matter? I needed to clear my thoughts, at least for a minute...

 

_'Snack break?'_ Well, sugar was a natural stress killer. But flowers didn't eat sugar. We only needed water and light, that's it. Why would I abandon that now? And what the heck made me thing I wanted something to eat in the first...?

 

_'...If it's left there, the Charas get it. Might be your last chance to stick it to them.'_

 

...Welp, that was a good enough reason for me. I tore open the first wrapper, my leaves shivvering at the smell of cocoa. Then I took that first bite. It had been so long since I had eaten anything. This was one way to get back into the swing of things.

 

_'Hits the spot...'_ Yeah, like a nice bowl of soup after a long, cold day. It was exactly what I needed. I sighed, the healing magics buzzing around my body. I watched in wonder as the cuts slowly started to heal...

 

A twisting pain stretched outwards from the wounds. Whatever good the chocolate had done was reversed, replaced by severe, cutting agony. What was...?

 

Oh. Right. It was Chara's chocolate. Soaked in their essence, their Determination. The last time they touched it was just before their little buttercup plot. Of course it would be oriented towards death. Good thing no one else tried to take a bite, the sheer hatred left behind would be poison for anyone more emotionally inclined. The fact that I was sustained by DT didn't help.

 

I needed to leave. Since there wasn't anything else around to help pull me back together, I at least wanted to settle down somewhere more cozy before I died.

 

-

 

Just... a bit... further... There. Made it. The chamber was dark, ominous, only offset by that one beam of light. I didn't have the strength left to burrow around, and the dirt would've messed up the ever widening cuts.

 

Everything ached. My head, my leaves, my stem, everything. At least I had my TV. Just had to get to the flower bed. One leaf in front of the other. Nice and slow. Any faster than a snail's crawl and I'm pretty sure my body would've started pulling apart.

 

I collapsed as soon as I reached the patch. The flowers crunched lightly under me, their petals slowly dying a light green. I didn't have the mind to notice what was doing it. I was struggling enough to focus on my goal. The TV was right there, thankfully in reach. Good, I didn't think I could drag myself another inch. Sluggishly, I stretched out, the power button sinking under my touch...

 

...Nothing happened. The only reward for my efforts was a small click. My eyes drifted to the right, seeing that the generator was just outside of the light's reach. The Sun was down too far to power anything, and I didn't have any energy to spare. My body grew heavy, weighed down as that last, hollow hope ran dry.

 

"Why?" That was the sum of my whole existence. Why? Why was I alive? Why did I stick around? Why did I bother to do anything, when my whole addition to the world around me was to drain it for everything it was worth? In hindsight, maybe this pain, this confusion, was karma running its course. No matter what Frisk had to say about it, I knew I was rotten to the core. I deserved whatever I got.

 

That kid came back to mind. They were probably worse off than me. All because of me, at that. The one person who treated me like I was worth a damn was dying, and I was paying for it in blood. It was time to face the facts. I was worthless. My existence was pointless. I only caused pain.

 

"I never stood a chance against Chara..."

 

A gust of wind whistled through the chamber. From where I was lying, I caught these small specks of powder lifting from the flowers. It was like pollen, but not quite. I mean, pollen isn't usually red.

 

"Selling yourself awful short, aren't you?" What did that voice know? Didn't it see I was on death's...?

 

It wasn't in my head. Normally, it was just an echo at the back of my brain. Now I was actually, physically hearing it. I finally got a decent reading on its tone, and I didn't like what I heard. I pushed myself to rotate as much as I could.

 

Standing there, hands in their pockets, looming over their own grave, was Chara. They weren't looking at me, gaze fixed on the small rock that marked the makeshift burial site. I guess Frisk didn't hold out for long after all, the hoard splitting up for the rest of us.

 

"What are you waiting for? Just finish it already." My everything hurt. Each petal burned in the sunlight. My stem was flimsy, more fragile than the thinnest piece of glass, and probably easier to pull apart than building blocks. I didn't think I could even hold a fly with my leaves anymore. Death would've been a mercy. "Or do you think I'm too stupid for your high tastes?"

 

"Hey now, that's a bit much, isn't it?" They finally looked at me, their deep, red eyes settling on mine. But... something was off. They weren't glowing, or piercing, or unearthly in the slightest. It was just a pair of unusual, red irises. Not normal by human standards, but it fit in with the Dreemurs just fine.

 

Come to think of it, that was the only red I was seeing. Their skin was just as pale as I remembered, nothing like those hellspawn back in Waterfall. Their hair was an equally light brown, and that sweater was a direct mirror of Asriel's own, green as a healthy garden with a band of sunny yellow.

 

For a second, I thought they looked... normal.

 

"We all make mistakes. You know that, and man do I know it." Was that a grimace? Remorse?

 

"Who... who are you...?" They walked over to me, sliding down to one knee.

 

"Don't you remember? It's me, your best friend. Chara Dreemur." They threw a hand over their shoulder, gesturing to the grave with their thumb. "The one buried over there."

 

That's when it clicked. The other Charas were from other timelines. They were a hoard of invaders. They only knew us from our similarities to their versions of us.

 

This Chara, though, this one was ours.

 

"Chara, you..."

 

"If anyone here's dim, it'd be me. I mean, genocide? What good's that? It'd just leave the guy behind it all alone, nothing left to do unless you get lucky enough to find a way to another world. Then it happens again. And again. And again. What's the point?" They stopped themselves, taking a deep breath. Angry ranting gave way to a nervous, sincere chuckle.

 

"Sorry. I've just, had a lot of time to think. And no one to talk to about it. I mean, you shouted me silent whenever I started."

 

"When you say it... like that, it makes me sound like a callous... selfish jerk. Wonder why?" I mean, it's not like I almost killed everyone a few thousand times, or however many Resets I pulled.

 

"We've both messed up pretty bad, and here we are without a way to make it up to everyone. You're, like, ninety percent green and yellow confetti, and I'm, well..." They waved their hand at me. For a second, I thought I was about to get slapped. Then they passed right through me, just like any ghost would.

 

"Kind of hard for a couple of dead brats to do much."

 

"No matter how much we want to. It's like my big bad demon thing got totally flipped when Frisk Reset on me. And I'd give up my left hand just to tell them how thankful I am." Their smile grew a little more hopeful, a certain spark running through their features. "We each have a little part of us that wants to do some good, deep down. Those parts are small, insignificant on their own, but maybe between the two of us, there's enough to do something."

 

"So what do you say?" They reached into themselves, muscles twitching as their hand wrapped itself around something. When the limb surfaced and fingers uncurled, they revealed a red, sturdy heart. Webs of black cracks spread across the surface, but I recognized it well enough. Once upon a time, that Soul had been a part of me. "Want to help me set things right?"

 

My eyes opened wide, the nerves in my body finally starting to shut down. Breathing got difficult, but I didn't mind. I was too focused on trying to nod, only able to get the smallest twitch up and down out. Their smile became grateful, their hand bringing the Soul ever closer. My body tingled at the pont of contact, but gave no resistance to the intrusion.

 

I took a deep breath, raw Determination flowing through me anew. My strength started to return, my arms finally able to lift me off the ground. I stretched wherever I could, muscles spreading and popping in a cacophony of relief. It was especially relieving in my hands, the sensation of spreading my fingers a long needed comfort. I looked down, my snow white paws almost blinding in the sunlight.

 

I tried to take a step, but stumbled, and I would've fallen over if not for something else taking the reigns. The leg settled itself on the ground, my stance stabilizing as my control over my own body slowly numbed.

 

"Come on, you need to take it easy." My mouth was talking, but I wasn't. "Your spirit has to be drained, so just let me handle things for now, alright? I'll wake you up before anything happens." I felt myself blacking out, but I caught one more sentence before everything went into a warm, oddly peaceful dark.

 

"It's good to have you back, Asriel."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new challenger approaches. Er, challengers approach? Anyone know how the semantics would work here?


	30. Tag Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A buddy system is a useful tool to the prepared.

Bones were starting to wear out a little, but that didn't matter. If I didn't have to bury my little buddy by the end of the day, I would've been happy, regardless of how I came out smelling. It had to be better than sulfur either way. Good thing I was just about out of range, passing that big neon sign Metta had installed. Didn't he understand subtlety?

 

Not that I was any better. Judging by my solution to the thick wave of Charas swarming the hall anyway.

 

"if you can't take the heat, get out of my kitchen!" You know, it was kinda liberating to just let loose every now and then, but it wasn't the most efficient option. Needed to cool it if I wanted to do anything but sit there and sweat when we got to Frisk. At least I didn't have to do much but pilot and fuel my blasters. Pap had my transportation all taken care of.

 

"NYEH HEH HEH!!! NO ONE IS A MATCH FOR OUR SPECIAL MANEUVERS!" Yep, couldn't ask for a better brother. Who else had one strong enough to cart them around under arm like a football while moving at speeds that'd make an airplane blush?

 

Though, being fair, the rest of the family weren't exactly pushovers. Asgore was actually getting in melee range of the exclusively melee fighters, and winning. That trident gave him some mad reach, and it got even better when he used fire prong extensions. Even the few Charas who got a swing off didn't get much done thanks to that armor of his. Must've added a few more layers or something just in case. Let no one call our king ineffective when push came to shove. And his ex wife...

 

"The fires of betrayal burn the brightest!" ...really didn't care for traitors. That whole 'used to be my kid' thing was overpowered by that whole 'trying to kill my current kid' thing. What she lacked in weapon magic, she made up for with an advanced understanding of pyrokinesis. Let me tell ya, her surfing through a hoard of red eyed demons on a wave of fire was a sight fit for a metal album cover. Totally jotting that one down for fundraising suggestions.

 

We weren't charging recklessly, though, we had a rear guard. Normally, Undyne's throwing arm and keen eye would've made for perfect coverage, but she had some... personal issues to sort through first. Not exactly the time, but I understood. Awareness is life's greatest joke, and we're all the punchline.

 

Speaking of punches, Greater's lived up to his namesake. That left hook and right spear sweep kept our butts unstabbed. Seriously, how did a guy that big with that much armor get around so quickly? There was a reason I didn't even have some chainmail on under my jacket, namely mobility, but he threw the notion of over encumberence out the nearest window. Maybe I'd have to throw him a bone after all.

 

With that kind of power play, our path forward was cleared out in no time. Understandably, someone had to ask the obvious question.

 

"BROTHER, WE ARE DEALING WITH THE CORRECT CHARA, RIGHT?"

 

"Yes, I would expect an army of conquerors to be more... effective." I was asking the same thing as Gore myself when we tore through the first crowd, but a closer look at the second cleared things right up.

 

"that's exactly why they aren't doing so well. too many cooks and all that."

 

"WOULDN'T MORE COOKS MEAN MORE EXPERIENCE TO PULL FROM?" Pap's cooking was getting better, but he still had a few basics to get down.

 

"maybe, but if too many got together, they'd do more bumping into each other than cooking. sooner or later, they'd end up too distracted to see their eats burning into charcoal." Well, bumping was the wrong word. Elbowing, biting, and stabbing at each other for a shot at us was much better.

 

"They are far too eager to get a taste, and end up biting each other instead. I suppose it makes our task easier." For now, but I, of course, had to burst the bubble.

 

"y'know tori, there's gotta be some pretty powerful fingers keeping these clowns in line. fingers that want to wrap themselves around someone's throat."

 

"You mean everyone's, yes?" Yep, that about summed it up. They wanted dust and blood, we wanted our innards to stay where they were. Kind of an impass, but I had the perfect mediator. His name was Gaster Blaster, and his specialty was demons.

 

Man that was corny, even for me. Nice.

 

-

 

You counted fifty of 'em, and that's just the ones who could fit on the bridge. You didn't doubt that there were more just off screen. Either way, it was gonna be a long day. It would've been nice to get a move on, but the bulk of them were too busy staring at you like really deadly pigeons.

 

"So, you all just gonna sit around with your jaws on the floor? I'd be cool with that, but I think there're better ways to use our time." One of 'em stepped forward, old scarface themself.

 

"I hear you, but these chickens aren't up to scratch. If you want something done right..." That fancy, slim butcher knife of theirs went up in the air, pulling off two flips before landing firmly in a blade down grip. "...do it yourself!"

 

"Yeah, but those guys are you. Not really saying much there, bud." You let your hand dangle limply, but your lazy facade wasn't fooling anyone. They knew exactly what you were capable of, at least if you lived up to the body's blueprint. "Really hate to patell ya, but your net value's getting cut." Actually, you didn't, but you were certain that was Sans's lingering influence at work.

 

"Let's just get to the point. As fun as it is playing word games, I didn't sign up for Scrabble Online. Maybe I'll keep your Soul for myself, chat with you when the long game gets a bit dry. That'd be fun, right?"

 

"Maybe, until I went nuts from chit chatting with the maniac. Don't really find that humerus. I'll have tibia buzz kill and say no." You shrugged, twitching your fingers in slightly. You thought you had seen him in action enough to get the movements down. "No need to get yourself blue, though." In your palm, you thought you felt something. It was like a misshaped ball, your fingers planted firmly over its surface. A light ding filled your nonexistant ears.

 

"That's my job." The only thing between them and the surface, not to mention your battered, broken body and Gaster right behind you, was you. That was all the purpose you needed. You were filled with Determination.

 

Your hand went up and Chara followed. They knew what you were thinking the instant they felt your icy cold grip on their being, flipping themself upside down to land properly on the ceiling.You let your hold peter out, knowing you had bought yourself about ten seconds before the ringleader was back in the game.

 

In the meantime, it looked like the floodgate had opened, the hoard charging forth to crash against you, a wave full of sharp, rusty metal. You had something just as piercing in your metaphysical back pocket. You opened your hand palm side out, signalling a blaster to materialize. Aside from the yellow, glowing carapace, it was just like Sans's.

 

_'Wait, what am I doing!?'_ You didn't kill, ever, no matter how much someone might have deserved it. Even sending that one Chara tumbling down the cliffs of Snowdin left a scar on your Soul, but here you were about to blow a whole crowd of them away! There had to be something else you could do, you just needed to think...

 

_'meh, why bother? not like they'd do the same for me.'_ That... that wasn't your voice. It was on the deeper side, and kind of flat. Mellow, even. Wait, was it Sans? _'let's see how they like a little karma.'_

 

_'But, but...'_ That other voice in your head didn't listen, your body moving against your wishes. Your hand twitched, setting off the fireworks. The beam was gold, just like the Determination it drew from, but it was still just as powerful.

 

Those few moments of charging time were enough for the pack to decide its course of action. A few chose to bail, heaving themselves over the edge. They thought death by gravity was preferable to the burn of raw power. The ones closer to the far end of the bridge were lucky, having some solid ground to spread out on.

 

Other, more dodge savy Charas simply hit the floor, flattening out to barely slide under the beam's reach. Not the most showy maneuver, but it worked. Even that much forethought was a foreign idea to the last chunk of the herd, who thought they were quick enough to reach you before you fired.

 

Dumb move. You let it rip, sending them all realing back as their faux flesh tore apart. Good thing DT bodies were blood free, otherwise the bridge would've gotten soaked in the stuff. As the light died down, you swore you saw a few red specks glittering away underfoot, down in the dark trench. You didn't get a chance to look closer, your ten seconds running out.

 

"I came in like a wreck...!"

 

"NO." You loosened your hold on the blaster, allowing just enough magic to take Chara by the ankle, yanking them face down into the ground. The boards beneath them creaked, a few starting to split and splinter. "Heard that junk track one time too many. Never liked it."

 

"Oh, good, and here I thought _I_ was the crazy one!"

 

"No, you're still definitely that." You reached out again, fingers brushing against their Soul as the air started to whistle. You leaped backwards, willing your flesh and blood body to follow with your charged blue magic. You narrowly avoided the rain of knives, the terrain not even a foot away looking kind of like an inverted, artificial porcupine. "Someone's been reading up on the Persians."

 

And someone else must've taught them about keeping backups on hand. You were forced to keep your retreat going as another flurry came down. When they mobilized, reclaiming their first set of knives, you knew how much trouble you were in. You didn't have nearly enough time to mount a counterattack, not even with the already materialized blaster.

 

_'if they all pile on, i could cut the bridge down when i get to the end. it'd only take a second.'_ As solid as that logic was, you couldn't whole heartedly stand by it. You knew there wasn't a shred of decency to be found in any of them, and yet you couldn't bring yourself to give in entirely to their deaths. You could practicially feel your indecision weighing you down...

 

_'Am I... getting slower?'_ It wasn't just your imagination. Your limbs were becoming heavier and heavier, each pacifistic thought adding a few more pounds. Subconsciously, you probed deeper into the matter. In several areas, you found your Determination repelling itself, many chunks rejecting each other's presence. Your internal conflict was becoming literal, the will of your Soul and the imprinted ideology of the body clashing.

 

Your heart jumped as the next wave fell. It was close, too close. You almost felt a blade seperating the fibers at the tip of your slipper. You needed to hurry up, but your form was becoming too unwieldy. It was only a matter of time before you were hit.

 

"Hey not Sans! GET DUNKED ON!" Scarface's voice rumbled like a volcano, their cleaver taking to the air. Unlike the others, who went for an overhead approach to mess with your perception, they realized that you were distracted enough as was. The air parted as it left their hand, followed by the bone and cloth of your left shoulder. Your blue magic fizzed out, both you and Gaster falling to Earth. You were barely able to pass the threshold onto solid ground as you rolled.

 

"Nice shot, boss!"

 

"Here, I'll get your knife for ya!"

 

While they were busy kissing up to the big bad boss, you were writhing on the floor. You could feel the Determination spreading from your wound, branching through your form like an alien moss. The near infinite LOVE of its origin heard no opposition, ripping you apart from the inside out. Any feuds between your own thoughts became minute details in the face of their corruption. You had a newfound empathy for every monster you had ever hurt.

 

"Frisk, you won't last... for long. Come back!" Gaster reached a hand out as far as he could, your casted, drained body unable to support much movement. Even so, it would hold longer than your false Sans, whose legs were already evaporating into a golden cloud of DT. You tried to close the gap, the crimson glow of Chara looming ever closer.

 

"Look at this kid, thinking they can get away. You get more cute every time I look at you!" They grabbed you by the hood, reaching their knife around your throat. You wiggled as much as you could, but you didn't have the energy, or the body mass, the coat quickly eroding beneath Chara's fingers. "Too cute, if you ask me."

 

"Heh heh heh, everyone's a critic these days. Can't take a little joke." You closed your eyes, the minor relief of Sans's last laugh withering away with the rest of you. Nearby, you heard Gaster mumbling something under his breath.

 

"Infinite..." The power vanished before it could be put to use, his technique giving out under its own weight. Though persistent, his fighting didn't do much. He Who Speaks in Hands couldn't cry loud enough to save either of you now.

Your vision blurred in and out, overcome by a bright, pulsing white light. The stronger it became, the louder the buzzing in your ears grew.

 

_'You can't give up yet, help is coming.'_ You knew that voice. It was even tempered, somewhat detached, but you could feel the weight behind every word. The last it had greeted you had been on your last death bed, bleeding out on that news studio floor. The connection didn't support your faith in its advice, but you couldn't ignore the warm feeling blooming in what was left of your chest.

 

_'Who...?'_ Your question was lost as you fell to the floor. In the corner of your eye, you saw Chara stagger back, a bone jutting out from where their left eye was. It hummed with raw Determination, ensuring the wound wouldn't be closing any time soon.

 

"paws off the merchandise. no one mangles my mug, even if it isn't on me." That warmth flourished into hope, your eyes struggling to match those of the newcomer.

 

The true judge had deemed you innocent.

 

-

 

It was an... interesting sight. When I woke up that morning, I didn't think I'd see a mirror of myself with Pap's scarf wrapped around its neck dissolving into thin air. Then I looked a little deeper in, homing in on that familiar, warm presence slowly pulsing in its chest.

 

"kid, 's that you?"

 

"I, uh, think so. Memory's kinda... dusty... if you catch my drift." Their body shook, particles rising from its surface, more and more mass getting blown away with the wind. I saw the way they tried to get to their old, disturbingly (yet understandably) broken flesh and blood body, their goal clear in my eyes.

 

With as much care as I could muster, I plucked their Soul from not me's chest, pushing it into Gaster's hands, who was quick to jam it into his own ribs. The shift was instant, the black fog denoting Gaster's control vanishing from their mask's sockets. They hacked and wheezed, drops of blood dribbling out from under the cover. Kid needed a hospital, bad.

 

"Thanks San...!" Their gratitude was blotted out by another fit. Seeing as a lot of the streams along their arms and legs were starting to dry, I had the suspicion that they'd been leaking for a while.

 

"save your breath, kid. you've done more than enough for one day."

 

"You damn skeleton...!" The sound of ripping meat echoed through me, a bone covered in deep red energy clattering against the bridge. Those fake bodies, color aside, mimicked the real deal pretty well. From the look of it, that thing wouldn't be winking at anyone anytime soon. "Oh I'm going to enjoy ribbing you apart."

 

"wow, your puns suck. trying way too hard to force it." I didn't waste any time summoning a hoard of my own, the air around me lining with blasters, mouths already filling up with DT. One more blinked in on top, its smooth, calm shell and orange magic contrasting against my own.

 

"BROTHER, WHY ARE THERE TWO OF YOU!?" Yeah, seeing another me dying on the floor would be a bit messed up, wouldn't it? Honestly, I'd seen it so many times it lost the edge.The others weren't as numb, the sight tugging at the corners of their thoughts.

 

"tell you later, when that's less likely to happen to us." I unleashed a storm of bones, blocking an incoming wave of knives point for point. There were a few I missed spinning towards Frisk, and I was about to make up for that, but a wave of fire did the job for me.

 

"Get my child behind us!" Right, kind of important. I reached my blue magic out, but had to retreat when old one eye got too close for comfort. I was spared a knife to the sternum by a blaster beam going off between us.

 

"Come on, let them play a little longer! We were having fun!"

 

"no, you were having a psychotic outburst. big difference." I pulled some backup from the cloud hovering above us, covering the swiftly emerging fight piles. Gore and Tori were back to back, working in tandem to cut a swathe through the swirling mass of Charas accumulating around us. Pap and Greater were in the same boat, Pap's greater agility complementing Greater's ability to block a shot with his armor. I spared a part of my subconscious to keep some eyes in the sky on them, leaving enough brain and gun power to keep me afloat.

 

As many Charas came off that bridge, a steady, nearly infinite stream at a glance, none of them lined up for a chance at me. It looked like their boss was getting a personal vendetta against yours truly. Alright, I could work with that. It swung its knife around all fancy like, striking some sort of over the top, menacing pose that used more energy than it was really worth. Nothing it did could beat the simple look of pure hatred oozing out of its eye.

 

"Let's dance, Sansy!" I sidestepped the swing, answering with an uppercut. No matter how many times we fought, that first shot of the underground bones always caught it off guard. Its ability to swing back around at me without missing a beat answered why they called this one boss, its health bar still looking pretty good after two solid shots. My fight was considerably less fair, but I was used to that.

 

Then the climb got higher when its knife started to heat up, a trail of flame following it as it narrowly passed my face. The lack of fire coming from the other Charas supported this one's position further, DT magic being a massive boon.

 

In the corner of my eye, I caught more Charas acquiring a target. Unlike the others, who chose people who could hit back, the next arrivals from the bridge had their eyes set on Frisk, who couldn't even move from their spot a foot from the chasm. I unloaded three blasters that way, trying to buy some time for me to get there.

 

"they can't even fight back, PICK A FAIR FIGHT!" Every attempt to move that way was barred by one eye, my eye burning hotter and hotter as my frustrations grew. I couldn't even risk shooting out the bridge, any downward angling bringing the beam too close to hitting the very kid I was trying to protect. "GET AWAY FROM THEM!!!" As another blast died down, a pack of five Charas took to the air, arc leading them straight to Frisk.

 

Then, the room got darker. The crystals and mushrooms giving off light weren't damaged in any way, but their output was cut. Either that, or it was getting sucked up, but the only force capable of that was a black hole. As visibility dropped, the flapping of wings filled the air.

 

When the only lights left were from our magic, a figure dropped out of nowhere. It was tall, thin, limbs like an exoskeleton and wings whose outlines made them look like they were plucked from a giant bat's back. In its hands, clutched in fingers like a dead tree's branches, were a pair of daggers. It made short work of most of the imps ganging up on Frisk, smashing through them and the bridge beneath them. The only thing I needed to hear about what that accomplished was the cacophony of screams rising from a plummeting army.

 

In the pitch black of the room, two dots drew my attention. They were a deep, threatening red, and illuminated an even scarier face. Long, light brown hair hanging down like a shredded curtain, sharp, inhuman teeth, matched with a vicious grin, and skin so pale I swore it hadn't ever seen the sun. For a minute, I was more afraid than I had ever been, the only thing I could register being the most twisted incarnation of Chara yet.

 

"Sans, help!" My fear was thrown into the backseat when my little buddy's screams hit with the force of a truck. They were grabbing desperately at the cliff, their legs dangling over the edge. A Chara latched onto them, using its own weight to drag its target down with it. I jumped at them, my magic and hand both trying to pull Frisk and Gaster out of danger, but I was too late. The rocks supporting them crumbled, the kid falling into the abyss with a cry for help that shook me to the core.

 

"F R I S K . . ."

 

That raspy voice almost hurt to listen to, the massive, flying killer slowing the beat of its wings. Gravity took effect, the Chara going into a nosedive after them. In the midst of the chaos, everyone else carrying on without a choice, their assailants not slowing down in the face of tragedy, I was granted a blessed break. Both me and the head Chara were left standing there, one question on our minds, and on my shaken breath.

 

"what the hell was that?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I think I'm getting back into the swing of things now. Let's see if I can jumpstart the old production line, eh? Cliffhangers are bad enough as is.
> 
> By the by, are any of you familiar with Wadanohara? That free RPG Maker game? If not, I'd recommend it. Not the deepest thing out there, but hey, it's free and has some surprises in its pointy hat. Just mind the trigger warnings on the site. They aren't kidding. This brought to you by a lover of charming little games.


	31. Shelter in the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wood will rot, bricks will crumble. No physical material can stand forever. What you need is far more sturdy. Steadfast. Loyal.

I couldn't see the bottom. I should've known better than to think I could when it was called the Waterfall Abyss, but my chest wouldn't stop twisting until I checked. When I did, with nothing to show for it, the pain just got worse. It seemed familiar, but from where?

 

"Holy shit... That was AWESOME!" I knew well what that grinding in my skull was, though, the voice of the dustiest little hellspawn in the multiverse. "I mean, things were already pretty great, but that was something else! Hey, have any of you seen anything like that in your worlds?"

 

Even as the lighting in the room got brighter, and the sound of fighting got louder, my sockets wouldn't pry away from the pit. All the way down there was Frisk, or whatever was left of them. I didn't have to bury them, but, in a way, that was worse. No finality to it, if you follow me. And Gaster, even if his mask did survive, no one we had was good enough to get all the way to the bottom and back.

 

"Oh man, that was the closest to a drug trip I'll ever get. Hope so, anyway. I don't think my aim would be too good under the influence. What do you think, Sans?" I finally remembered what that feeling was. The sharp sting to my Soul, followed by an oppressive nothing. Everything that I was felt like it was getting flushed, leaving only the ache. I hadn't felt it since I was a very young kid.

 

It was those little, scrounged up scraps of hope I could piece back together getting burned in my chest. The ashes and embers lingered, and every little sensation fanned them.

 

"Come on, where's that smile? Give me a smile, funny man!" That scratchy buzzing right there, though, that was more like gasoline. My ribs started to tremble, and the vibrations carried up and down my spine.

 

"You're boring me now. Heh, and you were always the most fun. Guess we found how to break you pretty well. I'll keep it in mind, for the next world in line. Hey, that almost rhymed!" My marrow began to churn, the core of our world burning in my limbs. "Looks like I really wrung yours bone dry! Eh? Eh? Hmph, not even a chuckle."

 

"Alright, let's just get this over with." That harsh, ringing sound of metal sliding on metal, it was the spark. Something about it hit me deep, but I couldn't figure out why. The only thing I knew was that the pent up emptiness was starting to fill.

 

In its place was an inferno.

　

-

 

I stumbled through the motions aimlessly. My child and a dearly respected friend, both lost in a blind moment. It was only my training, left to rust ever since I fled the capital so many years ago, that allowed my body to operate without input. That one thing that brought life back to me after so long in the dark, gone. My candle had been extinguished, and the cave would not get any brighter.

 

If anything, what little I could register from my body was the increased violence from the Charas. They only served to rub the salt of that failure into the wound. I tried to force my eyes to wander elsewhere, any thoughts of self preservation sinking into the murky deep.

 

In the distance, Greater Dog had somehow gotten faster. Every strike preceded a sonic boom, the air beneath his hand shattering with every movement. His wispy, white aura had tinged red, a few flecks of crimson particles clinging to his teeth. Lumps of the same matter, vaguely in the shape of limbs, flew in every direction.

 

Papyrus seemed frantic. His blaster glided through the space around him, orange beams cutting through the encroaching masses. He seemed to be trying to carve out a path, moving closer and closer to the cliffside. He said something at the top of his lungs, but my ears were in no condition to register his words. Reading his teeth, I believe he was saying, "brother."

 

"Tori, we need to move!" Asgore's voice, oddly enough, was a bit more piercing, and when I looked, he did all he could to direct my attention further in. As much as I didn't wish to dwell on that location, I found my body followed his directions without protest.

 

At the edge of oblivion, eyes pointed to the dark, was Sans. He was sitting on his knees, arms limp in his pockets, head drooped. It was almost an execution scene. Supporting that comparison was the leading, battered Chara, knife rising in place of the headsman's axe...

 

...No. My body began to pick up the pace, a magical approximation of adrenaline reconnecting spirit to form. I had lost enough in this place. First, it was Asriel, dragged down by his own sibling in a fit of deception. Each human that followed, Billy the 'Strong Man,' John the reclusive thinker, my little cowboy Cliff and his sister, the elegant Lily, three star chef Terry, and the ill Sherry, who barely made it through the Ruins, each was a scar on my psyche that would never heal. And now, Frisk was pulled to their own demise, a more literal recreation of Asriel's own fate.

 

I had enough blood and dust in my time, far too much, and I would not allow the remains of another to be unceremoniously added to the pile. I refused. My fur grew warm as the ember of my wrath returned.

 

"Asgore, cover me!" It was his turn to follow the lead, his trident working overtime to fling whatever Charas attempted to take advantage of my headlong charge away. Though a source, directly or otherwise, of so much of my grief, I knew that he was still dependable. The entire way, I let the energy build in my hand.

 

"Alas, poor Sansy, I knew him well..." In the middle of their misquoted speech, they were unable to see my hand settling firmly on their chest.

 

"Tempest Touch!" The detonation was well placed, that opening attack one of the lessons most thoroughly drilled in during my tutelage. On someone so light, it would guarantee at least fifty feet of space. It was a shame that my angle was not better, as to deliver some form of ironic karma for what their cohort did to Frisk.

 

I would have to settle for an opening to retrieve Sans. I knew how deeply it affected him. Frisk was a dear friend, his little buddy, as he aptly put, and Gaster was a beloved parent, who he had already lost once. No matter how long he was in grieving, I would understand, and likely join him in the slump, but we needed his unmatched power now if we were to survive.

 

"Sans, I am aware of your strife, believe me. I have been through much the same many a time, but there is a time and a place for..." I attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, that traditional method of comforting, but was forced to jump away. My retreat distracted Asgore for a moment, but he was quick to return to his guard post. He understood my pragmatism was more appropriate for the moment.

 

But this was well beyond my scope. Magical flux was a normal point of monster distress, but the sheer volume flooding from Sans was shocking, even horrifying to a degree. It matched his increased power output well, the normal pressure of stressed magic replaced by an outright painful substitute. Contact with him was like attempting to grip an active human stove top, an unwise decision.

 

His face made things worse. His mouth had dispatched any false joviality, a scowl resting unnaturally beneath his brow. From between his teeth, small amounts of pale light trickled out. His eye sockets were much clearer windows, an unblocked view of the chaos occuring within readily provided. The flames were past anything I had seen before, a blaze of pure white spiraling around the inside of his head. A blue equivalent tore at the edges of his left socket, the ring of Determination just as uncontrolled. Listening closely, I could hear voices echoing, rebounding off one another for a shot at being heard.

 

_"...little buddy cut down in their prime..."_

 

_"...this is why i never care hurts too much to..."_

 

_"...day outside birds are singing..."_

 

_"... kill kill kiLL KILL THEM **ALL**..."_

 

I fell further back when the binds on his magic began to crack, the flame clawing its way out of any opening it could find. His eyes leased serpents, slithering up around his skull, his hands were engulfed in short order, and the edges of his iconic jacket began to char.

 

Blue magic began to rampage. Winds of raw energy rose from the ground, the far lighter Charas who grew too close whisked away to the ceiling, every moment of contact with the spell burning their skin. It was only my magic resistant robes that allowed me to remain grounded.

 

That would be of no use before long, the earth beneath us beginning to falter. I knew what was beyond that, and what would happen should the barrier between here and there be broken. My first instinct was to grab Sans and run, but his status as the epicenter of the influx and untouchable body made it impossible. I needed some way to retrieve him, but I didn't know how. I simply needed an opening, a plan, a...

 

"Get ahold of yourself!" A smack, loud enough to cut through the ringing in my ears, came to life. Directly beside Sans, whose head was realligned to stare at the eyes of his attacker, was Asgore, a fury I had not seen in many years creeping at the edge of his gaze. It was displaced, outweighed in value, by what I could only call the deepest pity.

 

"Do not lose control so easily, you are stronger than that! I know what you feel now, that hatred coursing through your being, and I have done wrongs under its influence, just as you are now. Your rage is a tool, but one of two edges. Make its power your own, but do not let your reason parish in its wake, less you become its puppet! Please Sans, you are the strongest among us, in many ways, and you are above becoming prey to your own emotion."

 

The winds of rage began to die down. They were still present, but being within them was no longer as much of a risk. The rocky cliffs settled as the flames receded, leaving behind a ring of vibrant, azure light. Sans was still out of it for several moments, slouched over, kept upright only by the tension in his spine. He shook his head, slowly climbing to his feet. At the first sign of a stumble, Asgore and I both grabbed an arm.

 

"Can you stand?" My concerns were lessened as his eyes met mine, that subtle charm still present in his empowered socket.

 

"...have tibia pretty big... liar to say i'm... up to par, but i still have some swings in me." His arms slipped out of ours, a show of his ability to stand all we needed. "could still use some cover. don't think dodging around is much of an option, and it'll take a bit to get the DT flowing right." Asgore nodded at him, taking a defensive stance facing the writhing crowd, those who survived the uncontrolled rage joined by fresh faces.

 

"Take as much time as you need." I struck my most imposing figure, fireballs framing me in the eyes of our foes. "I'm no stranger to burning midnight oils."

　

-

 

I felt a weird tickle deep in my chest. I wasn't too far away from the action, the used-to-be-blaring lights welcoming tourists to the Hotlands behind me. Only the faintest traces of lava light were left, half a mile or so away from giving in to the cold dampness of Waterfall. Down under the relaxing nostalgia and less than relaxing memories of Frisk's first trip through, the sensation wasn't going away.

 

"Did I eat something way too old?" Human food could be kind of nice, but that rotting thing it did was a huge pain. One bad steak could mess you up big time. One! How did they stand that kind of...?

 

_'On your right!'_ The heart amulet clicked with every step, but that last one came in with a warning from its Souls. My training took over, body moving to the far side of the path, spinning to see what had the punks so worked up.

 

Some were still stuck in place, knives lodged in the rocky wall. Others were on their way down, eyeing me like fresh seafood. Just like any Chara would. A spear was in my hands in a blink, and it cut through the ground under me in a second. You couldn't go wrong with a cloud of dust on weaker opponents.

 

Under the blinding cover, I had a split second to decide which way to dodge. I chose to back out, not knowing whether there were more of the creeps deeper in. The last thing I needed was to get boxed in.

 

A series of thuds rose from the cloud as I threw myself to the right. I threw my spear at the closest one, making sure I had one less to deal with. The more distance I put between me and them, the faster my mind raced. Just rushing in like normal wasn't gonna cut it. Nothing was coming to me though, a pack of one-hit, one-kill demons something way out of my experience.

 

In the split second before the dust cleared, I thought I felt the amulet start to warm up. It was slow, almost unnoticeable, but I was on a far enough edge to feel it. It was almost distracting, but not quite. That was up to the dull throbbing on the left side of my head.

 

_'I hear them. Top left, bottom right.'_ The voices were so close to Frisk's, I couldn't help but trust them by instinct. Another spear formed, swung to the left. A metalic clank told me how trustworthy my passengers were by their own merits. My vision focused quick enough to see the second swipe get deflected, both Charas rolling with the shots and back into the action. Ignoring the headache, I was able to keep up with them point for point.

 

"This fish has real bite!"

 

"Get out of her sight, she'll forget us in three seconds."

 

I didn't pay that really offensive myth any mind, my struggle to stick to the fight hard enough as was. The ache was growing, my urge to rip what was left of that eye right out. It was only a scarred socket, but even getting rid of that little was starting to sound like a huge relief.

 

_'More coming, hurry.'_ Those Frisks were a huge help, keeping me up to date with what was going on. God, what was happening? My chest, then my eye? I had fought with a broken arm and cracked ribs once when I was nine for crying out loud, but this was slowing me down. It was reaching deeper than just my body, I was sure of it, but anything past that was hazy.

 

I stopped lingering on it, putting that energy towards skewering the immediate threat. They made the horrible mistake of lining up in front of me, even if it was just for a second. I only needed half of that to ram through both of them at once.

 

That turned out to be just as bad of a move, my momentum petering out in front of three battle ready Charas. They knew a chance when it came up, swinging before I could back out. Instead, I followed the flow down, slipping under the first one. The second was way too close, coming in from my right. I was able to retreat by then, only avoiding certain death by part of an inch.

 

The third, the one on my left, was even closer. I only caught a flicker of movement before it was on me, the first time in years my lack of full sight hindered me, and in a big way. I pulled a hard right, trying my damndest to roll out of the way.

 

It was tiny, only registering on the faintest of nerves, but it was there. A small slit, going through the band on my eye patch, black fabric falling to the floor. The skin broke, leaving a line no wider than a gold coin, but that was more than enough.

 

The burn of intent tore through my head, shockwaves rebounding throughout my body. I grabbed at the wound, eye covered, as I reared back and grunted. My throat clenched up, not letting any more noises through. The nightmares seemed to surface on their own, my deaths in all those other timelines fresh in my mind. Not again, not like this. So much left to do, to see. The shadow of the reaper hanging over me, my mind's eye wandered to Alphys, that cute little blush comforting the blow.

 

_'_ _Sorry babe, I let you down. Big surprise...'_ All I could do was wait for the inevitable, the smell of dust as I fell apart...

 

...but it never came. As fast as it came, the pain was gone. All of it, even the headache. I was shocked. It spat in the face of everything I understood about how monsters took shots. That one had more than enough hate to do me in, but I was still breathing. Even the hoard was blindsided, the one who hit me looking over its knife. My thoughts were abuzz as my hand fell.

 

Looking down, I saw something new. A little, green bar at the bottom of my field of view. The very end turned red, then vanished. If I had to guess, it was like a tenth of the whole. Even when I blinked, the thing didn't go away. Off to the right, it was labeled. Undyne...

 

Somehow, I knew it represented me. Something about me. My health, put to numbers. That red part was all the damage that one hit did.

 

"What the frick, man...?"

 

"Why isn't she dying?"

 

"Or Undying?"

 

Looking at them was different, too. They were kind of slow mo, but not. They were going full speed, like always, but I could register every little movement more clearly.

 

"It doesn't matter. We can hurt her, so we can kill her. Come on!"

 

The cocky little brat came up close, gunning for another piece of me. I was just gonna stab it, make my revenge quick, but then the perception shift showed its true colors. The tip of its blade shined, a bright white streak. I slid off to the side, just moving out of the way of the light, no more. The attack whiffed completely, the Chara scrambling to get its footing.

 

From behind, I saw a weird twisting in the air above it. A ball of red, magic-like threads were floating there. In a burst of curiosity, I swiped at it with my nails. Contact with it was kind of invigorating, like if Mettaton bit into a battery, or something like that. The ball popped, energy fizzing as the strands vanished.

 

"Ugh, what the..." Its balance went straight to hell, tripping over its own legs like a bad drunk. It fell to the ground, struggling to breathe. Fingers grabbed desperately at its chest, all efforts to fight back rendered mute as its body softened. The Determination collapsed in on itself, flattening like a popped tire. At the end of it all, the only thing left was a pilfered Soul.

 

A bright series of lights drew my gaze up. From where the body was, red energy began to pull away. It reminded me of a bomb's fuse, burning back more and more.

 

_'Wherever it's going, cutting that Chara off from it was a death sentence. Maybe if I found the source, I could screw them all over in one fell swoop.'_

 

"She didn't even hit them!" While I was putting together the pieces, the others were losing their shit. Probably all over the insides of their pants if I was hearing right.

 

"What kinds of steroids does this universe have?"

 

"Voodoo steroids, that's what!"

 

"Let's get her, all at once. She can't poof us all gone!"

 

The whole mob jumped into action, a wall of dementia closing in on me. I spread my stance, a spear coming to hand, my attention drifting to the tops of their heads. I only needed a second when those balls showed themselves...

 

...or a giant fireball. That worked, too. It came from scenic nowhere, located somewhere behind me, and landed smack dab in the middle of the charge. The burst spread out in every direction, crackling out doing the pained screeches it inspired. The smoke cleared, only scorched earth and Souls left behind.

 

I turned, looking for who the heck did that, and boy did I ever find them. They weren't exactly hard to spot, figure taking up the entire width of the road. They towered over me, at least a decent house high, and I could only imagine how far back they stretched. The earth shook as they walked, wings spread out wide, and smoke billowed from their red hot snout. The orange light from the lava beneath them reflected off steel skin.

 

"Demons, timelords, whatever. No one, repeat, NO ONE, touches my Dyney!" Hearing that voice boom from the onboard intercom, courage blooming prettier, more dazzling than any rose, I couldn't help but laugh. The stress of the day, of hell breaking loose, of the very way I saw the world shifting, bled away as that laugh grew into an untouchable cackle.

 

"Dang, you know how to make an entrance, babe!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks of a lack of energy, familial obligations, and general procrastination are finally over. Sorry guys, but my brain turned into mush for a while there. Now you see why I always try to get a backlog up and running before hand. Oh well. We're in the home stretch people, three chapters or so to go, about twenty days to do it, let's go!


	32. Weight of the Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the darkest places, only one thing may shine true. It is only when such forces come together that the path to true light reveals itself.

Everything hurt. That was the only thing you knew at first. Even moving your eyelids stung. And when they opened, everything was greyed out. You recognized the glowing mushrooms lining the wall up above, but they were usually blue. And thicker. These ones were malnourished, if that was a thing for fungus, stalks stringy, limp.

 

Whatever you were laying on was kind of soft and smelled good. It reminded you of Mom's garden. And yet, it wasn't the exact same. You couldn't help but feel one of the many chains on your psyche tighten as you sniffed deeply. You pushed through the pain, eye rolling over as far as it could, barely getting your new bed into view.

 

It was a patch of flowers. Six petals atop each stem, with a relatively big center. Even in monochrome, you knew the sight of buttercups by heart. Somehow, the normally toxic plant had saved your life four times over, each by breaking a fall.

 

_'Frisk, are you alright?'_

 

_'Gaster?'_ Having that extra weight in the back of your mind was comforting, even a few minutes apart highlighting how big of a space he left. _'Still breathing, but...'_ You tried to close your hands but it was too much. You gave up with an exhausted growl, the act in and of itself useless anyway. _'Not going anywhere.'_

 

'Fair enough. Holding out as long as you did, impressive.'

 

_'Won't help us now.'_ You explored your entire field of view, only turning up pile upon pile of trash. This must've been the real dump of the Underground, the Waterfall Abyss, unseen by anyone. It felt cold, lonely. Hopeless.

 

But that wasn't an excuse to give up. Everyone else up there, they were still fighting. You saw that much before tumbling over the cliff. You had to find a way back up, for their sake.

 

_'That's the Frisk I've come to respect. Now, it may be a longshot, but if we could scrounge up enough scrap with a DT construct...'_

 

"Heh heh heh... Found you!" The words slithered down your spine, rubbing all the most sensitive nerves on their way. In the corner of your eye, where even the grey light of the mushrooms failed to reach, a blob of crimson shuffled towards you. It leaned heavily on its right, whatever may have supported its left side not responding. The features elluded your foggy sight, but that color and tone could only mean one thing. One of them had found you.

 

"Thought you could give me the cold shoulder and mozy on along, huh? Well, sucks to be you, I'm too hot blooded for that crap!" The closer they got, the clearer they became. Their left leg wasn't just disfunctional. It was completely gone, along with that half of their hip. They hopped towards you, mangled arm hanging past shredded muscles, sparks of DT bursting all along the open wounds. That gleam in their eyes was familiar, the same hate fueled glare that dug so deeply into your conscience as it plummeted into the depths of the Snowdin Ravine.

 

"Well, you did get two things done right. One, you really ticked me off. Two, you hit me up with enough of your DT to leave me half a man." They almost fell over, center of balance shaking as their body raced to compensate for the missing mass. "I think I know where I can find enough juice to fix that, though, maybe even put me on top of the command chain for a while. Tell me, Frisk." Grin creeping further along their face, teeth gleaming in their own glow, they raised a knife to the ceiling.

 

"Ever played Operation? It goes something like this!" You slammed your eyes shut, any attempt to roll out of the way met with your limbs locking in place. You were a sitting duck, caught in a bear trap, and the opportunistic hunter was quick to take advantage. You could see it without your eyes, the cold steel plunging into its victim's chest...

 

"AAAAHHH!" Wait, why were they screaming? You knew you heard something getting cut, but you didn't feel any worse than before. Were you delusional, beyond feeling any more pain? You opened your eyes to look for an answer. What you saw chilled you to the bone.

 

_'_ _What... what hellish atrocity is...?'_ Not ten feet away, a terrifying being stared down at its catch. Long, boney fingers latched the Chara's only working arm to their side, hefting them into the air with no effort. The other was planted firmly in front of their chest, the hilt of a knife jutting out the opposite end. Slowly, the grotesquely thin, yet unbelievably powerful limb rose, leaving behind a deep chasm in the Chara's flesh. _'I remember that face.'_

 

You didn't know how Gaster could forget it in the first place, even for a moment. The ragged wings, torn from the Devil's own back, the teeth, each sharp enough to puncture the thickest of armors, the pale hair and skin, untouched by sunlight...

 

...those cold, yet absolutely livid eyes, as red as the blood they watched spill. The madness behind them could only belong to one being. You could still feel that horrible, life sapping touch, the honeyed words, every drop of effort you had getting drained to power its slaughter. The demon whose name you didn't dare to even think. The imp trembled once more in the presence of its overlord, bursting into a shower of dollar store confetti to escape further agony.

 

Arms falling to its side, the creature's grin thinned out, but it was no comfort. Its teeth parted ever so slightly, letting a small chuckle scrape loose. It scratched along your inner ear as it passed, forcing a squeek out of your lungs. You regreted making your existence known before you could blink.

 

Its gaze snapped to you. You couldn't see the movement between positions. One moment, it was looking down. The next, its eyes were directly on yours, your pupils shriveling to pinpricks in an effort to follow its last target into oblivion. You wished you were able to join, but settled on slamming your lids closed.

 

There, on the cold, flowered ground, you waited. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? You didn't know. You just counted every beat of your heart, a fleshy snare drum in your chest, as a hollow victory. The small wins turned to dust in your mouth when the footsteps crept along the crunching, trash littered earth. The last one in line, your soon to be tomb falling silent, was taken as the toll of your death bell. You sat as still as you could, waiting for the next sound to pierce the dark...

 

"Frisk? Hey, Frisk, wake up!" The sensation that followed wasn't cold, piercing, nothing like that. In fact, it was warm, welcoming, and... fluffy. If it were possible, you would have leaned into the pressure on your shoulder, memories of Mom's loving touch coming to mind. "No, were... was I too late?"

 

The undertone of sadness zipped through that connection, you forcing your eyes open, for this person's benefit if nothing else. The grey lighting was gone, replaced by a sunny orange. You focused in on the source, a few small drips of fire. They were suspended midair, inches above a white, fur covered hand. The mist in your brain began to part, a sudden realization lighting the fires in your Soul. You knew that voice.

 

"Thank goodness. Golly, you scared me for a second there!" Any trepidation left in you was cleansed as they spoke, your eyes drifting to look them in the face. Red eyes, just like his parents, just as welcoming.

 

"A... Asriel?" Your mouth was dry, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. "Is that... really you?" His smile became more mellow, hand trailing down your arm. He stopped when your palms touched, wrapping his fingers gently around you. The warmth was even stronger now, and undeniably there. Somehow, your Soul began to lighten, a weight falling away link by link.

 

"Yeah, it's me. Hey, sorry for leaving like that. An... old friend already told me off, but I get it if you're..." You cut him off with your kindest smile. You couldn't blame him for running away. It would've been a tempting idea if you were in his roots at the time. "You really are too much sometimes, you know it?" You nodded as much as you could, grinning and baring the strain on your neck. Asriel looked up, smile dropping as he fell into deep thought.

 

_'Frisk, be cautious!'_ It looked like Gaster was still wary about him.

 

_'Asriel's a good person. We can trust...'_

 

_'No no no, you don't understand! You weren't watching, but I was. That..._ thing, _it took on his shape while your eyes were closed.'_ Your heart skipped several beats. If that was true, you were a foot away from the harbinger of your worst fears, helpless to whatever whims it cooked up. You needed to act, to flee, to...

 

...It wouldn't have helped. Even if you could move, they always found a way to follow you. That said, you couldn't just sit there and do nothing. You looked again, right at those eyes. They were calm, collected, and yet you could see the tension under them. The same look you found in the mirror every morning. It was the look of stress over what came next. _They_ never sweated anything. You knew that much. You had no doubts that this truely was Asriel.

 

But how? And, as long as you were asking, why did he use that form? You knew he was no stranger to changing his shape when he had enough Souls, but why he went with the demon instead of the God of Hyperdeath was unknown to you. That battle way back when, at the cusp of monster kind's freedom, gave you an idea.

 

You put all your energy towards the palm of your hand. It slowly, in as small of pieces as you could control, leaked into his being. You didn't want to alert him to your invasion, risk upsetting him (among other things.) If there was something funny happening in his Soul, you could fish it out, just like your friends' Souls.

 

There, at his core, you heard the voices. Those little echoes that resonated from the Soul. They were how you tracked people down in the vast reaches of his being once, and you could do it again.

 

But it was strange. Before, you had heard complete thoughts. They didn't always match up between sentences, but there were still whole ideas present. Now, it was a faint mumbling. Some feminine, some masculine, some right between the two, but nothing coherrent. It was like you had snuck in on a group of people trying to sleep.

 

_'Kind of in deep, yeah?'_ There it was. Someone was awake in here. You followed the sound of their voice deeper in. _'So hurt, but still pressing on. I kind of envy that.'_ Whoever it was, they were thinking about someone they respected. _'Not sure if you know how self absorbed that would sound in any other context. Just, you know, saying.'_

 

Wait, it wasn't just letting random memories loose. It was fully active, unhindered by its link to Asriel, and it knew you were there.

 

_'Kind of hard to miss, partn... Nevermind. Just, hold still a sec.'_ The space around you began to shift. The dark rippled, bent. You felt it, something racing towards you. You knew your heart would be on the verge of exploding if it was on you, that presence becoming ever more prevalent in Asriel's Soul.

 

Then, the fog parted, revealing a small, red speck. It was almost puny, but you could sense how compacted it was. It reminded you of when you would crouch down to call a puppy, making yourself seem as small, unthreatening as possible.

 

_'Uh, howdy! It's nice to meet you! I mean, we've met before, but not in this loop. I mean, yeesh, this is cringy, right?'_ You could almost see the hand scratching the back of their head. _'Alright, try again. Howdy, the name's...'_

 

_'BE SILENT.'_ Your Soul shook in the wake of that voice. That small, violet heart, Gaster's only remaining mass, shoved its way between you. _'If you believe I will stand aside and let you take Frisk again, you have another thing...!'_

 

_'Gaster, stop!'_ You pushed your Determination to the surface, wrapping tendrils around him. You held him still for several moments, waiting to make sure no one had heard him. _'Don't want Asriel to know we're here. Besides.'_

 

Looking at that deep red Soul, almost a dull reflection of your own, you couldn't supress the fear. That reaction that had, rightly, engrained itself into your being. Even so, you would not ignore that small voice in the back of your mind. The one that had guided your hand for so long. As all the timelines fell at your feet, crawling throughout your thoughts, you refused to forget yourself.

 

_'They're trying to talk. Remember, everyone deserves a chance. Even them.'_ A few more convulsions shook his Soul, fighting against your decision, but they didn't last long. You allowed him to pull back, accepting it as he stopped at your side, DT retracting into you.

 

_'Very well. But mark my words, betray Frisk's trust, and there will be no force in...'_

 

_'Heaven or Hell that could save me. I get the idea. And hey, not like those guys'd save me anyway. His Holiness detests sinners, and Lucy boy probably thinks I'm a threat.'_ That was a good sign, jokes that didn't double as direct threats. You were beyond nervous, but that bit of humanity helped. You took the initiative.

 

_'_ _Hi there, I'm Frisk.'_ You extended your being, offering a strand in what would have to pass as a handshake. Carefully, they returned the gesture.

 

_'I'm Chara, the biggest idiot around.'_ You felt your heart drop, the sincerity catching you off guard. They weren't joking, you could tell. _'I can feel that concern. Well, keep it. I know how you are, and I know there are people down in the dumps that need your support more than me. I screwed up, I pay the price.'_ You scrambled, trying to find something to say that would change their mind.

 

_'Look, there's one thing you can do that I'll take, alright? I came back to help Asriel. I dragged him down with me, and I can't put things back like they should be alone. You helping him would make my day. And you can start by getting back out there and surviving.'_

 

You were hesitant, but knew they had a point. You wouldn't get a chance to help them at all if something happened to you. And you wanted to do the same for Asriel anyway. You owed it to him for failing to save him, and you owed it to Mom and Asgore. Far be it from you to keep a family apart.

 

_'We'll talk later, okay?'_ That speck floated up and down, as close to a nod as you could get.

 

_'Got it. Now go give me a piece of my mind! God that sounds weird...'_ That was the last you heard of them as your Soul was tugged back. The darkness parted, the orange glow of Asriel's handmade torch bringing you back to the physical world. It lit up his concerned expression well.

 

"Ugh, stop doing that! If you keep passing out, I might think you won't wake up next time. Just, try to hold on, okay?" You nodded, wry smile climbing across your face. He seemed tense anyway.

 

"You've goat to calm down. Not _kid_ ding when I say stress would be _baaa_ d right now." He couldn't hide the snort from you. Sans had trained you well.

 

"C'mon Frisk, this is serious!" You didn't respond, his inability to wipe the grin from his muzzle its own reward. "Save some strength for the fight." He breathed deep, face returning to a familiar, neutral state. "Here we go."

 

Magic buzzed just under his skin. His aura seemed to permeat the air, a soft green glow enveloping everything, the fire fizzing out. For a second, you thought the smell of buttercups got a little bit stronger.

 

You saw two masses rising behind Asriel's shoulders. They stretched up, then out, unfurling into flat sheets. As the magic began to change colors, you saw them for what they were. His wings were a sight to behold, the rainbow of magic cutting through the Abyss like a hot knife through nice cream.

 

"Okay, hold on!" His arms slipped under you, body becoming lighter than air. Wait, he wasn't...

 

"Asriel, wait...!" Your warning went unspoken, screams silencing any explanation you would hope to begin. Your bones couldn't take the strain of movement, the slightest change in position setting off every nerve in your body. Tears brimmed in your eyes, the pain blinding all other senses. You couldn't breath, couldn't think, you couldn't even see. All you knew was that your body settled back into a flat posture soon after, the pain bleeding away bit by bit.

 

"...y gosh, Frisk! I'm so, so sorry, I didn't...!" He was panicking, hyperventilating. Your waking mind was swallowed up in the wave of loosely familiar agony, but the instincts were firing on all cylinders. Even with a damaged link to the world, they demanded you find a way to ease his worries. Your hand fished around for him, the pain lessening as that part of your brain numbed. Not the best sign you knew, but it was the hand you were dealt.

 

"Don't worry, not first time." The only reason you knew you had said that was the basic motions of your lips and throat. There was a high pitched ringing in your ears that phased in and out. Your body wouldn't be much for combat anytime soon. You needed a new one, but you doubted you could make much. It took all you could muster to look into Asriel's Soul.

 

You needed more Determination, but you didn't know where to find it. Asriel was one option, but you didn't know enough about his condition to risk it. As far as you could tell, it was DT that let him be him, and you refused to risk stripping him of his emotions again. Where else would there be...

 

_'Frisk, to the left.'_ You felt Gaster gently steer your eyes to the ground a few feet away. In the middle of the glowing field of buttercups, you found a small, red spot, unwavering as the colors cycled. That light, refusing to dull, called to you somehow. You tried to twitch your arm towards it, the need to get a closer look growing by the second. No matter how much you tried, your outstretched fingers never made it into your fixed field of view.

 

Luckily, you weren't alone. Asriel, whether it was from his own observations or by your attempts to reach its way, had noticed the light, too. You saw his hand reach out in your stead, carefully cupping the source. You followed his hand as it drew in, giving him a closer look. His eyes widened, and you thought you heard a gasp. He looked between the light and you, eventually holding it out for you to see.

 

Even through your bleary eyes, you had no difficulties determining what it was. It was a Soul, deep red in color. It was scratched, cracked, holding itself together by a thread, but still it shined on. It refused to give in to its wounds, standing as tall as it could manage, determined to hold on.

 

It was almost a carbon copy of your own. It drifted closer and closer, leaving Asriel's grasp to take a spot above your chest.

 

_'This must have been the Frisk that Chara had taken over to get here.'_ As interesting as that sounded, you only had enough focus to pay attention to one thing, and you chose to lean in closer to the Soul itself. You could see it, just beneath the surface, the Determination flowing through it in thick streams. This was exactly what you needed. It touched down lightly on your skin, just above where your Soul was tucked away.

 

_'How... can I help?'_ You blinked, not expecting a voice like yours, but not yours, to enter your mind.

 

_'You want to help?'_

 

_'_ _Let them hurt... so much. Want to help... make things right. Just like the others.'_ Yeah, that sounded like you. Always wanting to help no matter... Wait.

 

_'Others?'_ Your eyes were pulled back into the surrounding darkness. There, rising from the garbage, fireflies in the night, were countless red spots. They floated through the air, all converging towards the flower patch. It was hard to mistake what they were, a sea of yous whose Charas were no longer around.

 

So many worlds had been destroyed. So many innocent lives made quiet. So many Frisks displaced. But here they were, rising up to rejoin the fight. It was inspiring. Each had Determination to spare, maybe enough to turn the tides. Maybe, with their help, you could win. You could set them free.

 

And they, in turn, could wipe the slate clean. If they could get back to their timelines, the damage could all be Reset. Every life lost, returned, even the Charas who fell here today.

 

That thought alone was liberating. As your being ached to be freed from your physical form, you felt the shackles you had set loosen. You knew they would have to go back on soon enough, but your actions now were as permanent as the breeze. For once in your life, you could afford not to care.

 

_'_ _Is there a place in your grand plan for an old man like me?'_ You could tell Gaster was smiling as cheekily as possible, even with his stiff mask in the way.

 

_'Wouldn't dream of leaving you behind.'_ You felt the first Soul pulling at yours, and you were happy to oblige. You only had one request. _'Grab the mask. Trust me, it could help.'_ Your words spread through the cloud of amassing Souls, a small group making the detour. It only took five to pry it from your face, dragging it to the center of the storm.

 

As the mass began to come together, golden Determination flowing between Souls to establish the whole, you saw Asriel's amazed expression. His jaw was hanging loose, and his eyes sparkled at the sight. You drew a little power from the other Frisks, enough to make your voice audible.

 

"We have a plan. Trust us, okay?" It took a few moments, and a wiping of the disbelief from his eyes, but he gave his most confident nod.

 

"You've got it! You're better at thinking things out than me anyway. So, what are we doing?" You sent your ideas through the others, waiting for a positive response before confirming anything.

 

"Step one, take the Souls back from the Charas. Step two, leave the rest to us."Asriel nodded again, taking to the air to give your group the space it needed. Transformations could get a little... hectic, and he knew it.

 

You found yourself getting drawn into the center of the storm, almost a command center of sorts. They trusted you to steer the ship, and you aimed to please. You stretched your awareness outwards, taking into account how much Determination there was to go around. Quite a bit, as it turned out. It was almost overwhelming, and it gave you and idea. Only one being could ever overload your DT senses, and he was perfect.

 

You focused your thoughts towards the others, your family struggling up in Waterfall proper. They were your everything, and the thought of their lives being endangered quickly sent your shared being into overdrive. It was sloppy, inefficient, but it was the only way you could think of to trigger the shift. The crystals didn't take long to form, and the yellow tendrils were even faster to put them together.

 

Time washed over you in a wave. Some of you faltered, but the whole was more than sturdy enough to take it. The Determination began to twist, expand and compress, molding itself into the form you desired. The thoughts of the original being manifested themselves, his ideals clashing against your own.

 

_'We don't need any worthless pity!'_

 

_'I am the prince of this world's future!'_

 

_'In this world, it's KILL or BE KILLED!'_

 

They were powerful beliefs, enough to shake the unaquainted, but you were prepared. All of you had heard these exact phrases over and over again, and you had all mulled them over. In the end, they had no ground to stand on, washed away as your combined willpower stood strong. As your new body settled, color returning from DT gold to its original hues of green and fleshy peach, you knew the final round was about to begin.

 

"Heh heh heh... HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well would you look at the clock, it's almost over the top climax time!
> 
> Behind the scenes tidbit, this was originally going to be part of the last chapter, but I realized it would go on a bit too long as was. Not to mention it took me this long to finish, making you guys wait longer. And I don't like leaving you all in suspense. Much.


	33. Heirs to the Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a world of titans, to lead is a difficult position to hold. Two stand in front of the throne, but only one may claim it.

Took long enough, but the magic was starting to focus itself again. Good, I didn't like leaning too hard on others when it came to stuff I should've been a pro at. Already owed Gore one for keeping my head together, and a few dozen more after that for all the Charas he was keeping off of me. They were eager to take their old nemesis off the field while he was down, as always. Not even enough respect to face me fair and square. Pathetic, right?

 

"Welp." I snapped my fingers, a warning to friend and foe alike that I was back on stage. One of the brats put the last of its strength into a headlong charge between the wall of angry goats, screaming loud enough to ring above the brawling hoards. It wasn't the biggest voice in the room, though. Not even close. There were two things ahead of it.

 

First off, that blaster it didn't see coming. It was quiet, calm, as it glided through the shadows. I tracked its whole trip in the corner of my eye, making it from the middle of the ongoing battle to the cliffside in a blink. I chuckled a little as it lined up, magic swirling around in its maw.

 

"nice tail, kid." Its face started to shift, probably to confusion, but it didn't have enough time for me to be sure. We were down one more ugly mug as a concentrated burst of orange magic plucked its DT body apart by the quark. A hearty 'Nyeh' from the crowd told me the mastermind was watching it all. That was one more favor I owed. Maybe getting him more wiggle room would be a start?

 

"hey tori, mind shuffling a bit more to the right?" She was preoccupied with the front on my right, but still heard me loud and clear. I saw her smile as she glanced back, my idea as blunt and obvious as it was useful. All her fireballs zipped underfoot, making one big burst that launched her out of the way.

 

"They are yours." I could only imagine what was going through their heads. One second, they were fighting their ex mom. The next, she was gone, exchanged for a giant demon skull. The whine that slid past its lips promised that it was just as eager to get to work as me.

 

"alright old bud, let's trim up the lawn." The most basic chores could go by a little quicker with some help. It didn't get more boring than mowing duty, but the pals didn't get more loyal than my magisteel masterpieces. It already had the engine booted up.

 

"Trim yourself, you walking coff...!" If it screamed, I didn't hear it, my satisfied laughter the only thing my ears were picking up. By the time I could stop, the path deeper into the thick of it was wide open. I didn't waste time with a faux leisurely walk. Blinking was much faster, and I only gave the best for the family.

 

"bro, i'm coming!" I caught glimpses of him behind the writhing mass of red, but those were few and far between. His endurance was extraordinary, but even he wasn't quick enough to overpower all of them. Heck, it was only Greater Dog, plowing through like an angry snow blower, that kept the pressure in manageable levels.

 

The fire stoked, any and all recollections of these stains on time meeting Pap once upon a dead timeline throwing their offerings of kindling into the blaze. My magic and the DT infused therein rose to new heights. Every thrum of the bones, beat of the Soul, and twitch of the eye let a heavy dusting of blue off into the air. They had shaken up the soda can again, but now I knew better than to keep it like that.

 

Asgore reminded me of that much. He was in the same boat as me. Hope stripped from us once, returned by a loving little kid, and torn away again. What did he do? Soldier on, stand tall, keep his troops in line, like a true king. What did I do? Throw a hissy fit that wouldn't have done much in the end but kill me. Guess that's why he was in charge.

 

Besides, what would Frisk've wanted? They wouldn't want me dying after them. If there was a heaven, and that's where I'd end up, I knew the kid wouldn't want me to follow 'em too soon. Their life was one dedicated to us, the people they loved. They protected us, both from our own insecurities and actual threats, even as they broke down, inside and out. That's determination right there, and exactly why I had plans to make them a damn good tomb when all was said and done. Dive down there after them head first if it meant a proper burial.

 

Until then, I had one job, keeping their legacy alive. They gave it all to keep us alive, and I wouldn't give up another inch of turf. It was kill me first or kill no one, no exceptions. My old joke buddy was off limits. My king was off limits. My little pal's favorite dog was off limits.

 

And, as sure as Hell was hot, my brother was OFF LIMITS. They wouldn't take him. I REFUSED. And I had the best argument of all to back me up, the muscle to enforce my way. Blue magic pulled at the hood of my jacket, my body going limp as to not mess with the kinetic energy affecting it. The momentum swinging around one well placed focal point was enough to send me swinging high into the air, with more than enough room to call the whole gang.

 

One by one, in short lived flashes of azure, my blasters came out to play. As they formed, the first to rise set itself under my feet, giving me a perfect platform to survey the battle below. Asgore and Toriel had regrouped with Pap and Greater, each doing their part to maintain a safe bubble. Swirling around them, a whirlpool of bloody energy, was the entirety of the Chara army.

 

I could've taken out each and every one of the snarling demons with one Giga Blaster shot, but there were too many things keeping the others from getting out of my crosshairs. A barrage of more controlled beams was the best I could manage.

 

Just charging the things, I could feel a difference. Normally, the process tapped deeply into my energy pool. Doing just one was draining, two in a pinch was exhausting, and a group this big was _the_ last ditch effort for a reason. But now, it was only skimming the surface. The power transferring over to each mouth was greater than ever, but it was a far smaller part of the whole.

 

That could only mean one thing, a much larger source of raw energy. My magic pool was bigger than ever, and, for once, I was on that battlefield without having to fake my confidence. Was this how Frisk did it, standing between us and them? Did the work itself give them the strength to go on? Well, the only person who could tell me wasn't around, and I owed them more at the moment than thinking it through myself.

 

"BRO, PULL EVERYONE IN!!!" Pap was swift to comply, a wave of blue sweeping over the group. Their wide bubble of near constant movement became a compact, immobile lump that wasn't doing much. Still, it made them a much smaller target.

 

My battlecry sparked countless more, my army opening fire with everything they had. The beams were brighter, bordering on pure white, and they strained against their own forms. I could see each strand of magic, weaving in and out of the central flow, raw kinetic energy rebounding off of and getting pulled back into itself in and endless loop. If it was that violent amongst its own kind, I was almost giddy to see the DT and earth split.

 

And split they did. Chunks of rock went flying, the impact craters too deep to track with a naked eye. The Charas were a writhing blob, clawing, kicking, yelling over each other in a rush to find cover. Even saw a few using others as shields. I made sure to target them as often as possible, walls and traitorous wielders both blown away as easily. By the time the first barrage passed, their forces were split, frenzied, dazed, while I was on cloud nine with fuel to spare.

 

Of course, I did forget one tiny detail. In the mad dash to fill Frisk's shoes as the spearhead of our efforts, I forgot the most crucial part of my blaster techniques. A real rookie mistake. You should always stagger the blasts out so you can cover the dead air while they charge back up. Especially important for one hit wonders, like yours truly. As soon as they were back on their feet, they turned their eyes skywards. Old scarface, who had backed up closer to the cliff, knew a chance when it saw one.

 

"You dunces, throw your knives at him!" On the bright side, they forgot the others were still down there for a little bit. As soon as they recovered from the forced heads down, it would mean some easy pickings to thin out the heard. On the less bright side, I was a sitting duck. I could cover myself with bones to an extent, but one missed bit of metal would be all it took.

 

They reached back, tension building in their shoulders, before flinging up at me. A hundred shining blades took to the air, and I was all set with a response of bones...

 

...made completely useless by the explosion. Red hot fire intercepted the pack just as it left the ground, raining down on them with smoldering iron and flecks of flame. Greater huddled over everyone as best as he could, armor blocking out most of the heat, but the Charas were showing why a basic sweater was very poor combat attire.

 

As they rolled to put themselves out and stay out of the way of shrapnel, I tracked the path of that crazy fireball. At the end of that trail, blocking the path back to Hotland, was a hulking, metalic brute. Its surface was fairly patchwork, made of random bits of metal quickly welded together.

 

The nostril billowed smoke like an old stove, and the claws, each as big as me, slowly released their grip on the rocks under them, the extra stability no longer required. The wings spread, the back started to arch, and the long neck carried its head far above. The jaw opened, a roar shaking the foundation of the Underground itself.

 

If I were the Charas, I'd be quaking in my sneakers. But I knew that form well, the dragon a symbol of hope in so many of my memories. I knew it was on our side, and exactly who it would take to remake the old beast.

 

Considering it was a rush job, and how it just saved my hips, I'd easily call it some of Alph's best work.

　

 

-

 

I jumped up from the back of Alphys's new mech (which stands on record as the most badass thing I had seen in years) to the top of its head, the vantage point letting me scope out the whole field at once. Smoke was clearing out from the intercept, the Charas still realing from the shock. I double checked the placement of my hair, making sure the locks were still hanging over my left eye. No one needed to see what was going on just yet, and my old patch was too busted to try.

 

"Hey, you ready, Alphy?" I had no idea where she was in that thing, but the ears mounted on its head took my question straight to her. A few toned down speakers brought back a reply.

 

"As I'll ever be, Dyney. We'd better hurry, while they're dazed."

 

"Right. Just keep cool, I've got your back." Her head tilted up and down, the motion so small I only felt it because of where I was standing. I breathed in deep, lungs filling with with air. My heart was beating faster, the heart pendant matching it perfectly. I told the Frisks I'd get them to the fight, and now it was time for them to show what they could do.

 

"ATTENTION, ALL SOUL STEALING BRATS!" Their eyes looked up at me, still spinning, blurred by the fireworks in their faces. Even jacked in the head like that, they knew to cringe when they saw my scowl. "One of two things are gonna happen here. Either you all shove off to your old worlds and hand them back to whatever Frisk you've got captive, or the two of us are gonna stomp your skins flat!" Two bursts of smoke bubbled out of the snout, framing me as the mech's mouth lit up with orange fire.

 

"good to see ya back on your feet." I looked up, finding Sans surfing the skies on one of his skulls. I could see his cheesy grin from down here. "ready to clean the place up?" I met his challenge with my own smirk.

 

"You bet, let's finish up here and get our punk some help! They probably need it pretty bad, right?" His smile faded away, devolving to that weird fake front he put up. "What, did I miss something? Where's Frisk?" Then, from the far side of the room, I heard a laugh. It was a cocky sort of chuckle, and it was coming out of a cocky looking Chara. Its face was cut up pretty bad.

 

"Sorry to say, well, actually I'm not, but you aren't getting them back." My eye slowly narrowed, muscles clenching at the obvious implication.

 

"What... What did you...?"

 

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Alphys beat me to it, speakers set to earth shaking bellow. In the center stage, Papyrus looked away from me, Asgore was staring directly at his feet, and Greater and Toriel were getting angrier by the second. My magic started to peak, the heart over my chest going red hot with Determination. Their power flowed into me, the range of my enhanced vision stretching out over the cavern as I formed a spear in each hand. Both of their blades were lined by a deep red glow.

 

"See, they thought it was smart to stand next to a cliff with their back to one of us." It was barely holding back its laughter, each snicker that slipped bringing me closer and closer to ripping it apart with my bare hands. "And now, they're..."

 

I didn't need to hear the rest, the magic starting to flood my armor. It spilled out of every crack in its design, the air around me shaking with a cloud of dark blue magic. Parts of it began to solidify, new blades congealing above my head. The metal I stood on was burning just as hot, whatever she was fueling it with building up in its jaw. The sniffles that snuck into the quieter intercom pushed me even further along.

 

"Come on, get angry, get completely freaking pissed! You're more fun that way!" The hoard rose to its feet, each member deciding exactly who it wanted to charge next. There were more than a few stares at me, as it should be. Between my heightened senses and their greater burning of power, the orbs above their heads became visible.

 

This time, the fuse paths came with them. They twisted around each other, flowing further away, all coming together at one point. They all hooked up to the scarred Chara's stolen Soul. One more reason to target it specifically. Kill it, the others would follow. The Souls I carried rallied with me, eager to reclaim their homes.

 

"Alright, players, boss rush starts in three!" The knives shined, the glow of the pack getting brighter. "Two!" My spears finalized, an extra five floating around me. I pointed them in random directions, trying to hide my intent of ramming them all through the source. "One!"

 

The chamber was rattled by a series of cracks, the rock walls on either side of the Abyss splitting. Jutting out of them, I saw several massive vines, each wider than Asgore. Boulders fell from the ceiling, the stalagtites they were connected to driving themselves deep into whatever ground they hit. The room started growing dark, the very life of the light giving mushrooms seeming to pale in the presence of whatever was coming.

 

The vines tensed, a dark mass dragging up from the pit. It was squared off, metal tubes looping around behind it, almost in the shape of petals if you squinted. It took a second, but I figured out what I was looking at by the time his screen came on. The buzz of static accompanied his voice.

 

"CH _aRa_. I-I-It's good _to see yO_ u again. We still ha _ve business toGETH_ ER." Listening to him hurt my ears, pitch quivering and volume boosting seemingly at random. I scooted closer to one of the mech's ear fins.

 

"Alph, be ready to back me. I don't like our chances if we let both of those jokers come after us." I should've killed that flower months ago. Frisk had their reasons for holding me back, but that kind of kindness could backfire badly. Sans had the same idea, cannons lazily turning towards him. A few shots on those vines and...

 

"yOU _HaVE cros_ SEd us m _any times. you havE LIED. STOLEN WHAT WAS RIgh_ tly ours. Even kiLL _ed us._ " Wait, was he on our side? I looked up to see how Sans was taking it, his observations way better than mine, but he was just as confused. His stare had intensified, blue ring narrowing. My eye was back on the main attraction by the time it hit me. Us? Ours?

 

"and yet, to _sa-ay we hate you is wrong. PerhaPS THE W_ Ord is... dissappointed. So much to learn, but you bl _ock your ears. So much to see, but y_ our eyes reMAIN CLOSED. We would show you the way, but _only one path is open. And yet, we walk it_ without question. An arduous route, but, in _the e_ nd, worthwhile."

 

The white fuzziness settled, a picture I had seen more than a few times forming. It was Brutus, giving that Pierce kid the mother of all noogies.

 

"HUMANS." It changed, now showing the waves of monsters just after the barrier broke. They were staring up at the sky, taking in their first sunset. "MONSTERS." It changed again, and this time I knew something was up. It was an actual photo this time, Lansot riding around on Brutus's shoulder. Frisk was doing their best to pull Pierce into the group, but just missed the camera's timer. Still, I knew for a fact that it was still hanging up in their room. "EVERYONE!"

 

Then, all at once, the scene settled. The lights weren't as bright as they should've been, but the shadow dimming them was lessened. I had to blink to get my eye to adjust, and when I did, there was a face on screen. One we knew well.

 

"Can live in peace." Long, soft brown hair, eyes only slightly opened to the point of seeming closed, that peaceful smile. It was our punk, alive and well. The excess magic I was giving off started to fade, but I held onto the spears.

 

"About time you show up! Damnit punk, I'd come up there and noogie you so hard for making us worry if we weren't in the middle of something!" Their mouth twisted just so, a nervous guilt crossing their features.

 

"Sorry. Had to set some things straight. I deserve whatever you had in mind, after we make things right." I nodded, just glad to have them back. Still planned on giving them a hard time about it later, teach them to let my GF go and cry.

 

Actually, looking down, there was enough relief going on for me to lighten up on them. But only a little. If it weren't for the freak show, they'd be under a pile of goats, a skeleton, and a dog, the glimmer in their eyes something damn near magical. Especially Papyrus, whose sockets were lit up like bottles of glitter.

 

Sans was a bit more reserved, like usual. The only real indication anything was smoothing out on his end was the fire pulling back into his coat sleeves, the serpents of wrath no longer needed.

 

Not on our end anyway. The Charas were seething, teeth grinding into a fine powder. But their leader, old scarface, the look it was pulling was enough for me to drop my beef with Frisk entirely. If its pupils were any smaller, they'd be gone.

 

"You, you're supposed to be dead!"

 

"From you, that's almost funny. Hypocritical even." Their expression was back to reserved calm. Right, I needed to focus, too. They had a plan up their sleeves, wherever they were at the time, and Hell if I was gonna be the dead weight. I had people counting on me.

 

"We could exchange like this for days, but it would do nothing. Now, you are beyond talking down. Beyond peaceful resolution. The wish for power, for anarchy, has grown too wild. It pains us to say, but you have forced our hand. If you will not listen to us in this time, perhaps you would in one long passed."

 

All along their vines, small, red spots started showing up. They pulsed as one, a slow pattern not unlike a heartbeat. The tendrils started bulking up, the ledges and walls they were wedged into getting spread farther apart. From recent experience, I knew what was happening. It wasn't just our punk in there, it was as many as they could put together.

 

And they were bringing all of their Determination along for the ride. I knew first hand that even a handful of depressed Frisks could do some crazy things with their DT. I could only imagine how much was coursing through their whatever plant veins were called. Suddenly, I was liking our chances a whole lot more.

 

"We are nothing if not forgiving. We will give you one chance. I beg you, put down your knives, and give your forms back to your Frisk. We can send you all home. From there, they can give you a new chance to learn, free of the memories of your rampage. You have heard it before, but it rings no less true. You can be better, and now is your chance to prove it."

 

A few of them started swaying on their feet, but no one followed through. Their hopes dashed, Frisk breathed a small sigh.

 

"You aren't taking us that easy, kid. Come on you clowns, kill them! Get our army back!" They hit the ground running, half of the crowd charging headlong for Frisk. I made use of my spears, pinning seven of them to the ground by various parts of the chest and arms, and a few others were picked off by blue airstrikes, but there was still a good mob closing in.

 

Before I could even think about leaping after them, the biggest sword I had ever seen cleaved through them. Whichever ones weren't cut down were thrown back by the shockwaves. The blade seemed to unsheath itself from the ground, floating into the air above Frisk's head, into the hand of someone I never thought I'd see again.

 

"Hey, remember me?" Toriel and Asgore were breathless, which I was almost thankful for. It let me know the DT wasn't making me hallucinate anything but the health bars. I didn't expect to see a tall, rainbow winged goat with under eye tatoos when I woke up that morning. "It's me, your best friend."

 

"ASRIEL. DREEMUR." Those two words struck like lightning, shock running through everyone's systems. Almost everyone's. I was a bit too well trained to let a chance slip by. The leader was behind too many bodies for me to get to easily, but getting word to the biggest person in the room would make that a nonissue.

 

On my way, I saw the mist of Souls rising from the sword crater. I would have grabbed them myself, but someone quicker than me had the same idea. The body was hard to pin down, too wispy, blurred out, to register. All I could recognize were the hands, skeleton like with huge holes right through the palms, and the face, both linked by a blob of yellow. I'd know my girlfriend's dad's face anywhere. He was making himself busy, collecting the released Souls before any Chara got the bright idea to boost itself with them.

 

_'Not bad. Not bad at all.'_ All the time junk was one thing, but giving it to the already smart kid was just plain unfair. I was kind of proud of them, getting the one up on their mentor like that. I swore to work extra hard when this was over, just to catch up to my own student.

 

Until then, I had to do it in a more litteral way. Not that it was hard, giant stationary plant body and all. I had to ask them about that later, too.

　

 

-

　

 

Asriel and Gaster were doing their parts perfectly. The former actively released Souls, aided by his new headmate's experience, and the latter swooped in to bring them back. It made you feel kind of useless, but you knew you had to wait. It was only a matter of time before some Charas got too close to your little surprises. You were pulled out of your thoughts by a thunk atop your head. It was too big to be a Chara, so you didn't panic.

 

"Hey punk, I've got a tip for you." You were all ears, trying not to talk out loud since, well, you still didn't know how to work the volume on this body. Everyone would hear you, and that was the last thing you needed. The other Frisks were working on it, they assured you. "You see the one with the marks? The one that knocked you down here in the first place?" You had that one in the corner of your vision at all times, for the exact reason she mentioned.

 

"Don't ask how I know, 'cause I'm still not real sure, but they're all hooked up to it. I'm pretty sure if you smashed it up, they'd all go out at once." Whatever sign told her that was completely lost on you, but you didn't question it. She wouldn't risk so much on an unlikely idea. You nodded, just enough to let her know you heard. Luckily, Gaster was about to return from a harvesting trip, reconnecting to your network to drop off his finds.

 

_'Undyne says the scarred Chara is what's keeping them all here. Tell Asriel to focus on them.'_ His makeshift DT body nodded.

 

_'Of course. I wanted to deal with that one soon enough anyway.'_ He was off a second later, and Undyne was eager to jump back into the battle. She burned through waves of Charas, leaving behind a trail of Souls for Gaster to pick up.

 

The tide was turning in your favor. Really, it was a little unfair. Asriel had followed you every time you went Underground, the good times and bad. They knew the tricks a Chara would pull, down to the smallest twitch, and that wasn't factoring in your world's Chara's contribution. It would get even more unbalanced, as soon as one of them made a wrong move...

 

...like those ones there. In the middle of the battle, blue static had been zipping in and out since Asriel started his assault. One by one, your friends had been getting blinked out of the way, Alphys's newest, most uncomfortably familiar creation making for an effective wall. Mom, though, was being resistant, dragging her feet in more ways than one.

 

"No, we cannot abandon my child, not again!" Her free hand was slinging to and fro, fireballs lighting up the battlefield. Many Charas were falling by her attacks, even as her attention was being split by her rescuer. It was a testament to how dangerous she could be if she wanted, something that seemed to run in the family now that you thought about it.

 

"sorry tori, but right now, the most we can do to help them is not got dusted. i mean, they'll need someone to talk to while they're in recovery, right?" A group of three was closing in on them. Sans saw them coming, his left hand shifting to ready a bone strike. You had a more underhanded approach.

 

They got one step too close for your liking, which meant it was time. The earth between them and Mom cracked open, dirt pushed out of the way of your vines as they shot towards the ceiling. A wall of greenery stood between them and their goal, and their only plan of attack was to attack. The closest one brandished a knife, plunging it into you.

 

The pain was like a splinter at most, but the retaliation would not be lessened. The greatest kindness you could afford was a fresh start, and, unfortunately, the only way to make one was through a violent path. You told yourself that it would make things better for everyone as the skin of your vine ruptured.

 

From the minor wound, a hundred smaller tendrils reached out. They homed in on the offending Chara's chest, plunging deep into their false flesh. They panicked, cutting at the intruders as best they could, but they would not be dissuaded from their goal. When the first vine wrapped around their Soul, the struggle was over.

 

It was torn from them quickly, as if removing a bandage. You saw their eyes go blank, legs collapsing under them. The shell crumbled away into a crimson dust as their Soul was welcomed to the whole, other yous swarming to bring this one back into control. The last two tried to run, but your vines were quicker. You looked elsewhere as their bodies were raided for the stolen Souls, echoing your mantra again and again in your head. This would help everyone.

 

"see? they've got us covered. they don't need a bodyguard now, but they'll need a mother later. both of them." You heard no arguments, only the static of a teleport.

 

_'Sorry Mom. I'll be back soon, promise.'_

 

Asriel's attack pattern changed. It seemed they got the message, strikes becoming more focused. Their target had shifted, from every Chara that got close to one individual. Anything between the two was ignored, the benefit of flight carrying him straight to his goal.

 

"C'mon Chara, let's see you beat me now." A sword dropped, narrowly missing as the head Chara rolled to the side. Any counterattacks were nullified by a sudden, concentrated lightning storm. With every exchange that failed, Chara became more and more enraged.

 

"You little... hold still for a... Grr, stop moving!" This was answered, as you expected, by a series of short distance dashes, the transition between each consisting a quick, shallow slice of the sword. You expected it was your Chara's attitude at work. A confidence trick or not, it had results, the bulk of the attacks leaving a mark. None too deep, or even on a critical part of the body, but they served a purpose.

 

The fact that this one was taking so many hits without falling apart set them on a higher level than the others. Every other Chara was one flick away from losing at any time. More durability suggested a greater amount of Determination, perhaps enough to fuel a hoard of Charas whose Frisks were too crestfallen to produce DT. You would know, the awakening process for each individual lengthy with little or no extra Determination coming from them. Dependance on one active Soul is believable, and a huge flaw in their forces.

 

"Chara, we're sorry, but you have brought this on yourself." The atmosphere suddenly got heavier. You were uncertain if it was what you had said, the smell of smoke from Alphys's fire barrage, or how overpowered they were by someone they saw as a weak, annoying sibling, but something snapped. They stopped trying to track Asriel, almost letting his attacks whittle away at their health. It was unsettling, almost as bad as the glow in their eyes getting brighter...

 

"Get out of there!" You noticed it too late, the burst of wind knocking Asriel several yards into the air. His attempt at getting back in was thwarted by the growing windstorm around Chara.

 

"Could've been easy, fun, but no. You had to fight, like the idiots you are!" The winds were tinged by red dust, a steady stream getting sucked inwards by the gale. Screams echoed around you, high pitched and scratchy.

 

"Wait, what's going on!?"

 

"What are you doing!?"

 

"As for the rest of you, USELESS! Completely worthless! You had how many chances to kill this brat, but they're still alive? That's it, I'm taking my Determination back!" The others were erroding away, leaving behind more fuel for the fire, the Souls trailing along the same path. Their hands came up, grabbing harshly at the air.

 

You felt a sharp pressure at both sides, wrapping around your head, almost cracking your metal shell. Your vines held firm as you were lifted from your spot, but the walls weren't as sturdy. You were left dangling midair, trapped by two vast, crimson claws.

 

"And you can go BACK TO HELL!" Their voice was rough, deeper, lost to their raw desire. Any sense that was left before was gone, the final toll for their pursuit of power. They flung their hands overhead, sending you flying through the air. It was only the stability of Alphys's raised wings that gave you the solid grip necesarry to stop yourself.

 

"Frisk, hook yourself up to my mech, I have an idea!" You were left dizzy from the sudden impact, but you still had enough coordination to manage. Your vines pressed against the roughly welded edges in its shell, tendrils snaking in to wrap around its wires. As soon as you felt the Determination in you being pulled in, you knew what she was up to.

 

"Asriel, Gaster, we need all the DT we can spare!" Gaster was the first to respond, landing nimbly atop its head with a hearty laugh.

 

"You heard them, my daughter has a brilliant scheme cooking!" You could almost feel the blush she was giving off while Asriel set a hand on your vines, entering your loop into the system.

 

"You know what you're doing, right?" Given past incidents with Asriel, Alphys, and Determination in the same room, you understood his unheeded hesitation.

 

"Fairly certain. I mean, it's untested, but we can't mess up one hundred and one percent. Trust me, I know." You were almost blinded by the glow of the dragon's skin, a rainbow of colors radiating from every surface it had. "Alright, let's see how round two works."

 

"No, no no no NO NO!" They knew what was happening when their mouth started to glow, a familiar dread crawling up their spine. "I'm not going down like this again!" They braced against the ground, hands held open towards you. Their floating claws did the same, magic building up in the space between them and you. It charged a lot quicker, a stream of hellfire set loose against you.

 

They looked pretty confident, the first say being the best to them. But they forgot a vital fact. A longer charge time meant more overall energy. Besides, didn't they know that the one who laughs last laughs the hardest?

 

"Alright Alphys, you'll only get one chance to do this..." Wait, was she really going to do what you thought she was? "Hey Chara, does this sound familiar? Kame..." Oh man, she was! Welp, far be it from you to step on a dream. Why not join in?

 

"...hame...!" You heard her internal sqeeing as you joined in. The timing was perfect, the hinges starting to creak under the DT build up.

 

"HA!" It was a glorious moment for her, a bright spot in a dark time. Speaking of bright, that's all you could describe the resulting beam as. It was pure white, a glimpse into the core of the Sun. Thank goodness you didn't technically have eyes at the time, or they would be burning and watering.

 

The beams met, and it wasn't even a compitition. Their energy disappeared within yours, the flames extinguished by a hotter entity, and their claws only held up a little longer. In that moment before final impact, their eyes glazed over, defeat painting across them in broad strokes.

 

"I wasn't... strong enough...?" They vanished in the light, sparing you from seeing another slow destruction. As the beam petered out, the red of the Souls they collected revealed themselves. You heaved yourself forward, curling a vine around them.

 

"Don't worry, we forgive you. All of you." The Souls didn't resist, absorbing into your shared being. Much less smooth was the hard clank of metal from on top of your head, like a pebble fell on you.

 

"Don't forget these guys!" You grabbed at the mass, finding yourself looking at a small, heart shaped locket. You felt the surge of Determination contact brought, revealing the swarms of compressed Souls within. How Undyne found it and, from there, survived the raw DT flooding from it was a mystery, but a fortunate one. You gave her a nod with your best smile before falling to a more serious mood.

 

"Alright, here we go. It's time." The others felt excited, readily giving any DT they had left to you. That would have been enough on its own, but the air around you helped even more. Your last attack had dispersed into it, soaking it in raw power. You absorbed it readily, all of the power you had focusing on one point.

 

Deep down, you felt another solid mass enter, recombining with your core. Slowly, as your body became less physical, it was lowered to the ground. Looking down, you saw your broken body settling into place. It was battered, bruised, broken in every place it conceivably could, but whoever was controlling it still radiated a thick pride from his black, foggy eye holes.

 

The DT went off, your perception rocketing upwards, outwards. The planet shrank behind you. Then the solar system, the galaxy, the universe. Darkness tugged at the corners of your mind, and then it broke.

 

It had been a long time since you had seen this place, the space between timelines. It was more grey than you remembered, so many streams dead, still, drifting further away. You could fix that, here and now. You just needed a way to make sure the other yous could remember to stay strong. You didn't know how, but you had to try. You reached inwards, to each Soul you contained, and spoke one sentence.

 

"Always be kind." Your form rumbled, and then exploded. The yellow light travelled in a wave, shooting stars stretching across the cosmic planes. One by one, the streams pulsed, and then, they lit up. One by one, they flowed anew. The grey dissipated, replaced by a healthy gold, just as you remembered. They spread out, refilling the space, as you felt yourself getting pulled back to your reality.

 

"Good luck, me." You thought you saw a few glimmers shining back at you, but blacked out before you could think about it. When the darkness parted again, you were looking up into a concerned pair of red eyes.

 

"Geez, I already told you not to do that to us!" They softened, a warm hand gently clasping your shoulder. "Come on, let's go home."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took way longer than I thought it would, but it turned out well. One more chapter to go, the epilogue. From there, I have a few plans, but for now, I'll just say the ride isn't over quite yet. Now, if you'll excuse me, these big battle scenes are kind of draining to make. Fun, but draining.


	34. Dark, Darker, Yet Darker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once more, the dust settles. Wounds are patched, transgressions are forgiven, hatchets are left beneath stone. And yet, shadows still lurk. When is an ending ever truly happy?

You couldn't move. Everything was stiff, unresponsive, and a little sore. You were sure the day you got out of your wheelchair would be full of popping muscles, creaking bones, and relearning how to walk. It was uncomfortable, not to mention annoying, being unable to even swing along on crutches anymore.

 

But looking around, seeing Mom no worse for wear, Greater Dog standing next to you, tail wagging, and a certain little goat using him as a wall between himself and the nurses, you knew you would do it all again if you had to.

 

"Frisk doesn't have too great of luck with going underground, now do they?" If only she knew. And yet, she never could. Things were too complex to let out. You didn't think letting the public in on the interdimensional invasion, time bending, or Soul stuff that let Asriel stick around was a smart idea. Heck, that last one might have riled up the more religiously minded, and they could be a powerful force to reckon with for better or worse.

 

"Yes, I know. We tried to tell them not to go into the unstable reaches of Waterfall, but they can be so independant sometimes."

 

"Amen to that. But hey, that's a kid for you, though I'm pretty sure you should keep them up top for a few more years. No more surprise kids that need saving back down there, right?" And that's why being friends with a profesional actor was handy. They could invent good stories and act on them at the drop of a hat.

 

As soon as people started finding out about your newest injuries and the return of a missing prince, Mettaton was quick to jump into the room, waxing poetic about how you dived into a dark cavern after hearing Asriel's distressed cries. According to him, you had rescued a lost, battered, starving prince after he had suffered for months after being declared dead in a cave in.

 

Now, if it was anyone else, there would have been doubt and highly invasive questioning. But Mettaton had some strings to fiddle with. On top of fans who went wild for his heroic depictions of you, many still respecting you for 'demolishing the walls that held them back single handedly,' he had friends in the acting business with fans of their own to pass the story along. For once, the rumor and gossip mill was doing something good.

 

"No no, just Asriel." You could see the tears edging out as she said his name. She and Asgore could still hardly believe it, a miracle at their darkest hour. Seeing them reunite in a family hug as Greater and Undyne carried you back up via stretcher was exactly what you needed. "He had been missing for so long, and... and..."

 

"That's it, let it all out, Tori." The light thud of footpads preceded Asriel wrapping his arms around her, both taking in the comfort of having each other back.

 

"Thank you for the concern, Lily. I will be fine, but, it may take some getting used to." On everyone's part. You were more than happy to give up part of your room for him. If what you had heard was right, you would be coming home to a brand new bunk bed, courtesy of Papyrus. But before that, you had to sit around while Mom finished the last of your release paperwork. It gave you time to think.

 

Actually, time was exactly what you were thinking about. As soon as you woke up, you checked. Once a day since then, you have checked. And now, you felt the need to check again. You closed your eyes, focusing on the flow of Determination within you. Through it, you saw a dark room. Past a field of yellow flowers, the words 'Reset' and 'Continue' floated. Reaching out, you could feel them react to your presence. You wouldn't go further than that, returning yourself to reality, assured that nothing had changed.

 

And yet, questions wandered your unattended mind. Time was untouched by the Charas, the stalemate ending in your favor. Everyone was alive and well, yourself excluded to a degree. You had even come out with the net gain of having Asriel back, as well as his secret passenger. Things were looking up. But you couldn't ignore your fears, those quick glimpses at your temporal garden a frightening omen.

 

That man, Rameg as he called himself, what did he take?

　

-

　

I leaned against the clinic, near the door. Didn't bother going inside today, knowing it wouldn't've gotten much done. The kid was coming out any time, so I'd have more than enough time to work my magic. Besides, guard duty was pretty boring, I would know, and there was a little soldier out here that could use some company.

 

"so i tell him, no _kitten._ " His deep, bellowing laughter was all the payment my shows ever needed. Seriously, he was as loud as he was big.

 

"Ha ha, Sans could make good money with jokes."

 

"sure, but i like the local audience a bit more. know how to tickle their funny bones, dig?"

 

"Brutus digs. Just think about, yeah? World could use good laugh, and Sans makes good laughs." True enough, but my talents would be needed right here, in three. Two. One...

 

The door slowly slid open, giving Brutus enough time to move out of the way as Greater scouted ahead. They gave each other a confirmative nod, a sign that it was safe for the Royal Family to come on out. Brutus read up on official protocol apparently, taking his job as serious as an actual guardsman. Maybe someone should clue Undyne in on his effort. She'd be more than happy to help him refine it.

 

After Greater, the kid came rolling out. Frisk was in bad shape, most of their body wrapped up like a mummy. There was a brace on their neck, bandages on their head, casts on the arms and leg, and that was just what I could see while they had their loose sweater and shorts on. Any tighter and I'd have seen the outline of the layers on layers of bandages keeping their ribs together.

 

Most docs who phoned in with a profesional opinion said Frisk would be lucky to walk again, or even live without permanent organ damage. Our docs, who were more familiar with how well Frisk responded to healing magic, gave them about six months before they were up and about. I'd say that was about right, maybe closer to five months. Still, for humans, they were dang good with estimating magic at work.

 

Behind them, pushing their chair, was the new kid. Asriel was, well, good. He came out of it pretty well off, barely even had his fur ruffled thanks to his transformation hijinx, and he wasn't anything like his other self. Flowey was gone, and in his place was your average, nice kid.

 

And yet, there was something else about him that made me kinda uneasy. For once, I didn't know why. I usually had a good grasp on why certain things freaked me out. Mettaton was too showy and in your face for me, the True Lab was soaked in Alph's misery, the Judgment Hall had too many looping memories, that kind of thing. But Asriel was something else. I tried forcing my guard down, but it wouldn't budge, something about the air he gave off putting my head on high alert.

 

Fortunately, even my most paranoid delusions agreed that, threat or no, he wouldn't go trying anything with his mother looking over his shoulder. What was making me so nervous? Okay Sans, just do your thing.

 

"sup?" Frisk and Tori just gave me a warm smile, happy to see me, but Asriel had a more violent reaction. He wasn't used to my sneaky antics, at least the ones that didn't end in... Well, you get the idea. He jumped in his skin, stopping to grab his chest. He stood there for a second, catching his breath. "what's wrong? skeleton goat your tongue?"

 

"Sans you... ugh, you scared me!" Obvious enough.

 

"no _kid_ ding." His shaky, spooked expression got a bit more wry on me.

 

"Frisk already used that one." I turned my attentions to an equally competetive smile on their face.

 

"C'mon, throw us a bone." I was so proud it wasn't even funny. Little Frisk, growing up.

 

"i'll, uh, get back to you on that one." It was Tori's turn to laugh at me.

 

"Oh my, where have all your jokes gone? I cannot cal-see-um." Now they were just asking for my A-game.

 

"must've left 'em in my other pants. i'll come up with something soon enough though, don't worry." It might've been at my expense, but everyone was laughing. I call that a win.

 

"Sans, I am afraid I must leave these two in your hands. Asgore has organized an official statement on the emergency status Ebott was placed under, and it would be a poor showing if I was not there."

 

"Wait, shouldn't we be there, too?" Asriel had a point, royal kids and all. Come to think of it, those two were siblings now. Considering how many times they almost and succeeded at killing each other, it was weird. Fitting, depending on where you lived, but still weird.

 

"Do not fret, you have only just made it to the surface. You need time to become used to it before anyone can reasonably expect anything from you in the way of politics. Frisk only recently started their own efforts, so we will not force you into the same until you are prepared." He nodded, somewhere between relieved and disappointed.

 

"besides, we've already got a big apointment to get you to." There was that nervousness that followed him like a needy puppy. "don't worry, he's real nice once you get to know him."

 

"Yeah, you'll be fine!" Frisk was the one person you couldn't not trust about this sort of thing, Asriel shaking off a bit of his hesitation.

 

"Well, I must be leaving. Come here." Asriel listened quickly, though she had to move over to Frisk because of the obvious, giving both her kids a big hug goodbye. "Sans, I trust they will be home by dark."

 

"don't worry, i've goat your back." Old as that joke was, she still laughed at it. She knew I didn't have the stomach for lying to her these days, leaving without a worry on our end. We were off, me trailing just behind the kids so I could keep an eye on them.

 

About a block away, Asriel started twitching a little. His ears perked a little before he glanced left and right. I could see the skin moving on the back of his head, a few numbers I ran telling me it would result in a look of intense focus. He patted at his pockets on either side.

 

"Oh, I think I dropped my phone back there!" That wasn't good. One missed call from Tori and I'd be under six feet of trouble.

 

"must've been when i scared you. sorry for that, by the by. i can go get it if you want."

 

"No, that's fine, just take Frisk for a minute, okay?" I stepped forward, taking the left handle from him.

 

"sure, no prob..." My Soul dropped as we looked each other in the eye. I kept my outside relaxed, chill, but my inside was screaming. His eyes were different. They were half a shade brighter. Most people would call it a trick of the light, but the shade was too perfect. I knew it by heart, staring at me from the far side of a hall too many times to count.

 

"Thanks, it won't take long. Go on ahead!" He ran off, and I was a few paces closer to pinning down my discomfort. A few big, teleport enhanced paces.

　

-

　

There they were, just like my sources said. The AHW was dead, but a few of us were still dedicated members. Enough to keep tabs on our biggest marks at least.

 

Well, there was one off detail. It was just the short skeleton and the traitor, no sign of the little prince. Oh well, they'd have to do. I had to take that brat down then and there, while they were stitched up.

 

We all knew it wasn't human. Magic, speed, strength, they were all too high to be an actual human. They'd all see when I put a bullet in them, their body dropping to dust. They'd see we were right all along. I pulled out my silver handgun, pulling back the hammer as they got closer.

 

My arm jolted, an intense heat setting into my shoulder. I jumped out of position, turning to see it had caught fire. I didn't bother asking why, too busy slapping at it, trying to fan it out.

 

I was about to drop and roll, but something pulled my legs out from under me. They were tied together as I was dragged along the pavement, my gun sliding across the alley. I was suspended in the air, looking up to find myself dangling from a vine.

 

"Well, what do we have here?" In front of me, a short figure was walking towards me. At first, all I could see were its eyes. They were a deep red, their piercing gaze almost paralyzing. As it stepped from the shadows, I found myself confronted by some kid, light brown hair hanging over a green and yellow striped sweater.

 

"What the hell are...!?" I was silenced in short order, another vine strapping itself over my mouth. It tightened painfully, rough edges digging into my skin.

 

"As much as I would love to hear you scream and plea, watch you struggle, I don't have that much time." They paced around me, hands buried in their pockets, figure slouched. "So, you must be part of the weird Alliance or whatever I heard about. Heh, pretty weak considering who you're going after." The vine twisted, forcing me to stare them in the eye.

 

"In a way, this is the only mercy you're getting. Sansy would turn your sins right back at you, and trust me, that doesn't feel too good. And I can't afford to torment you too long." They picked my pistol off the ground, lazily aiming it down the alley. "Nice gun, though. Maybe I'll keep this, just in case." They pocketed it, turning away from me as they walked away.

 

"So, guess this is where we part ways. Save me a seat by Lucy boy, would ya?" I heard a muffled snap, and the fire grew more intense. It started spreading, quickly enveloping my whole body. My arm was gone in a blink, and even as I squirmed, I knew the rest of me wouldn't last long.

 

The last thing I saw before blacking out was that devil's body changing, the lump in their pocket where my gun was vanishing as their skin was overtaken by a layer of white fur.

　

-

 

I stared at the mirror in front of me. I had some time, Alphys setting up our show for a rescheduled date night. I didn't want to take too long, though. She was still worn out from last week, using her new toy draining her like crazy. All her magic was funneled into it to keep it moving. When she crawled out of her torso mounted control station, she flopped into my arms, half asleep.

 

I wanted to be close to her as she recovered, maybe rub off a little magic to restock hers, but I had to check something first. My right eye was the same as ever, just a white ball with an occasionally slit pupil in the middle. The left, though, was far from normal.

 

Eyepatch left on the bathroom counter, hair pushed aside, I stared deeply into the dark of my eye. The skin around it was still heavily scarred, a rough, leathery red. The eye socket itself wasn't just black anymore. Right in the middle was a white pupil. Its shape was slit, like my other got in high tension situations, and I could see through it with a clarity that put my so-called good eye to shame.

 

When I focused on it, my vision shifted into that other state. Movement happened at the same actual speed, but I could register it much faster. I raised my hand, chopping down just fast enough for my brain to register it as an attack. The tips of my nails glowed white, highlighting where it would actually do considerable damage.

 

At the bottom of my sight, the green bar stood, telling me my health was doing fine. I couldn't see anything that said how much abuse I could take, but something told me it was a lot. Way more than I used to.

 

I could only think of one explanation. Having those Frisks so close to me, pumping me full of their Determination, it changed me. I still thought like me, acted like me, looked like me (barring the eye), but my body was something brand new.

 

I needed to ask someone about it. Not Alphys. If it really was Determination at work, it might put her into a relapse of all those timelines where my own stock took over my dying form. I couldn't put her through that again. I refused. Maybe Sans would know something about...

 

"Undyne, are you coming?"

 

"Almost done, babe! Just gotta get my fangs extra shiny! Why settle for blinding white?" I slipped the band back over my head, patch settling over my eye. A deep breath and I was good to go. There were a lot of things that I didn't know. A lot of things I needed to figure out. But that was for later.

 

For now, I had to focus on what was certain. I was still me. I was still strong enough to help, even with guys like Sans around. I was still Captain of the Guard.

 

And my girlfriend was still in the other room, waiting for me to finally get our date rolling.

　

-

 

I walked along the darkened ground. My cloak blew about, despite the lack of wind. No doubt his influence on this space. Looking around, windows into the realm beyond opening at my request, I found they were all doing well. There were questions, confusion, actions I could not strictly condone, but all was essentially well. The immediate crisis was staved off, all with minimal direct influence on their world.

 

Of course, two occurences were still far too many in my eyes. Looking at the roads of New Haven, my sight was drawn to Frisk. Poor child, to have encountered his form with no obscuring veils to protect their mind. We were lucky they had the eyes to bare us, lest their mental state be further fractured. I had choice words for the one who took the gamble.

 

It did not take long to track him. Despite the insecure nature of this sub-plane, his aura was a powerful one. I had become far too familiar with it to pass it over. Soon enough, he stood before me. His cloak swayed in the lack of wind behind him, more like a loose cape than anything, against my wish for his true state to remain hidden in all but the most dire situations.

 

A grin graced his dark muzzle as he turned to me, fangs gleaming in the dark. His eyes attempted to piece together my intent, but my protocol outfit of choice made that exceedingly hard. Though he was still less than simple to read, perhaps it would teach him the value of my decisions. He gestured at me with his clawed hand turned up.

 

"Ah, the illustrious master shows himself at last. Tell me, how goes the weaving?" If he had seen my face, he would be, at the very least, wincing at my barely contained rage. I kept my voice mellow though, intent on not creating ripples in the void.

 

"While your success is undeniable, commendable in many respects even, there is the small detail of you revealing yourself to be addressed." He rolled his eyes, turning back to the nothing. "This is a serious offense. You could have broken the linch pin of this reality by revealing yourself to them, further pushing the disruptions caused by your appearance in front of their scientist friend." He openly scoffed at me.

 

"Now now, we both know that child is more sturdy than most. You simply had no faith in their abilities. Besides, I obscured myself in my interactions with Alphys."

 

"Yes, but not as fully as you should have. Your simple mist would have left her to shatter had she not been blessed by the link to monster kind she was experiencing at the time." Once more, he waved me away.

 

"Calm yourself, it all turned out, correct?" Normally, his nonchalance would be enjoyable, but there was still an elephant in the room.

 

"What did you take?" He looked at me with disinterest.

 

"Oh pardon me, I was mulling something over. What was that?"

 

"What did you take." This time, it was not a question. It was a demand. He opened his mouth in an exagerated look of realization.

 

"Oh yes, the deal! I figured my direct influence on them would have been more balanced if they gave something in return. That is what you wish, yes? For their world to remain in balance?"

 

"Nothing you could take would reverse the anarchy unleashed if you crossed too great of a line! Now, answer the question."

 

"Please, you are being such a bore these days. I only probed their mind for a deeper understanding of their journeys, that is all. I do enjoy living through another's journeys, you know." My gaze on him focused as far as I could push, no doubt forcing the impression of my disdain upon him.

 

"I know your pension for coniving. Do not think you can fool me so readily." His smile turned predatory.

 

"Or what? We both know you are unable to touch me as things are now. The barrier still exists between us, preventing your contact with me. Until I return from this place, I am untouchable." As much as I despised it, he was correct.

 

"Very well, but remember. My eye has no such limitation. Though not as strong as I, they cannot be evaded for long."

 

"I am not evading you, my master. You know precisely where I am, where I will be. You simply cannot follow me." I turned away, allowing my projection to return to my physical form.

 

"My weaves cannot be held at bay forever."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you look at that? I actually got a chapter out in a timely manner! Thank all that is good for carbonated soft drinks.
> 
> While I'm at it, thank all of you for sticking around for another book. If the ending didn't give it away, things are far from over. Remember, rule of three, and I only spy two main entries in this series of mine. I suppose it's time to fix that, eh?
> 
> Well, after a bit of rest anyway. Just got my hands on a pile of books and games to go through, so I'll rest up a bit with those. Then I'll get started...
> 
> ...on a side story. Yep, I'm making you wait before the next core story again. There's just so much to expand on with this world that I couldn't resist, both with the stuff I added and that which wasn't expanded on in Undertale itself. I actually have three side stories going through my head. One is a continuous thing with no central narrative, which I'll be writing in the background either way, but the other two are neck and neck for which one I want to jump on next.
> 
> So I'll leave it up to a vote. I'll tally up whichever one had more requests in, say, a week, and work from there. In the event of a tie, I'll flip a coin or something. So, what do you guys want? Option A, a detective thriller to expand on Frisk's gang of human friends and Lansot, or Option B, a jump back to the past to cover the tale of the Mad Dancer, as Undyne expressed fear for several chapters ago. It's up to you!
> 
> Until then, I thank you all for reading. Have a lovely day!


End file.
